27.03.2023
US Vice President Harris started his visit to Africa on the 26th and announced on the 27th that he will provide US$100 million to strengthen the security of coastal countries in West Africa. In order to counter China’s growing influence in Africa, the United States continues to deploy in Africa. Which countries will Harris visit during this trip? How has the United States recently strengthened its relations with African countries?
(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) US Vice President Kamala Harris (Kamala Harris, also translated as He Jinli) arrived in Ghana last Sunday (March 26) for a week-long visit aimed at deepening relations with African countries and will increase visits to Africa. investment, discuss issues such as food security and climate change, and counterbalance China‘s influence in Africa.
Harris said on the 26th: “During this visit, my focus will be to increase investment in the African continent and promote economic growth and opportunities.” meeting and announced investment matters.
According to Agence France-Presse, Harris met with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo (Nana Akufo-Addo) on Monday (27th) and announced a bilateral aid plan that will provide US$100 million to strengthen the security of the West African coastal state. Earlier, Harris’ office said the United States would provide Ghana with $139 million in bilateral assistance next year, covering economic, business and cultural aspects, as well as health initiatives to combat malaria. In addition, Washington will send a local special adviser to Ghana to assist the government in managing its debt situation.
In the face of external concerns about China‘s investment in Africa, Akufo-Addo said that Ghana has contacts with many countries, and China is one of them; as for the relationship between Ghana and the United States, it has its own “dynamic force”.
According to a statement from the White House on the 24th, Harris’ trip is a continuation of Biden’s commitment to “fully invest” in Africa at the US-Africa summit at the end of last year; , health and safety assistance.
Although White House officials emphasized that the trip was solely about U.S.-Africa relations, Africa’s strategic importance has grown as the U.S. reorients its foreign policy toward China; China has invested heavily in Africa in recent decades, including in infrastructure and local resources develop. For example, Ghana once reached a US$2 billion deal with a Chinese company, exchanging its key minerals for the production of aluminum in exchange for Chinese-funded road development and other projects.
The picture shows Biden discussing at the US-Africa Summit in Washington on December 15 last year.
U.S. Strengthens U.S.-African Relations
Since former US President Trump paid little attention to Africa in his diplomacy, the Biden administration has tried to mend US-African relations since it took office. In August last year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Africa and announced the “US Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa”, focusing on strengthening African democracy and promoting its post-epidemic economic recovery.
In December last year, Washington invited 49 African leaders to participate in the US-Africa summit. Biden announced the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to promote US companies’ exports to Africa. American companies VISA and General Electric have announced their intention to invest in Africa. Biden also publicly supported the African Union joining the Group of 20 (G20) as a permanent member.
In January this year, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (Janet Yellen) visited Africa and also emphasized the need to deepen economic relations with African countries. During her visit to Zambia, she even bluntly criticized China as an “obstacle” to the country’s overall debt. Afterwards, China responded that the United States should manage its own debt well.
The first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, visited Namibia and Kenya in February, paying attention to issues such as local women’s and children’s rights and food security. Blinken visited Africa again in mid-March and announced in Niger that he would provide $150 million in new humanitarian aid to the Shahr region of Africa. Biden is also expected to visit African countries this year to continue strengthening US-Africa relations.
(comprehensive report)
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