Harris Announces $100 Million in Aid to Ghana During Meeting with Akufo-Addo

Vice President Kamala Harris praised Ghana as” a beacon of democracy” and announced that the US would provide$ 100 million in aid to” help address the threats of violent extremism and instability” in the continent’s four other nations.

Other countries that may gain from the service include Benin, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, and Togo.

Harris arrived in Ghana as part of a three-nation, nine-day tour of Africa at the same time that the Biden administration is determined to combat China and Russia’s growing influence it.

At a joint press conference with Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo, Harris stated that the Biden administration is asking for an additional$ 139 million in bilateral aid to Ghana for the fiscal year 2024.

Ghana, which has 34 million people, is regarded as one of the most stable governments in Africa. There has been fermentation in the area in recent years. There have been coups in Mali to the northeast of that and Burkina Faso to its northwest.

Numerous countries in West Africa and the Sahel community have fought to put an end to national al-Qaeda and Islamic State offshoots that have caused charitable catastrophes and supported military takeovers in Burkina Faso and Mali.

The U.S. army started its yearly military training workouts earlier this month with the goal of armies being ready to fend off the threat.

To take part in Flintlock, which trains officers in counter-insurgency strategies, men from 29 nations traveled to Ghana and Ivory Coast.

A Belarusian selfish organization called Wagner is active in Africa. Mali gave them the task of removing French-based soldiers stationed it. Authorities in Ghana claimed that Burkina Faso’s looking are looking to Wagner for help.

According to Akufo-Addo, Ghana is worried about Wagner because” it raises the very real chance that our globe is going to get the vacation spot for good potential fight.”

According to Akufo – Addo,” We’re spending a lot of sleepless nights trying to make certain we are protected around.”

Harris discussed her meeting with Akufo-Addo at the joint press conference before announcing the$ 100 million aid package.

We have talked about a number of significant issues, such as the significance of ideas and interests like freedom and liberty, which are unquestionably at the core of who we are as Americans and who Ghanaians are, according to Harris.

It’s important that we never lose sight of the fact that a is neither a stable accomplishment but rather an opportunity that requires ongoing caring, as Mr. President put it succinctly during the State of The Nation last week— and I’m going to quote you for that.

” I concur. In fact, I frequently assert that democracies have a dual nature because they exhibit both power and fragility, she continued. In response to current democratic complacency in West Africa, we are grateful for your leadership in defending political ideals all over the world.

Harris will travel to Tanzania and Zambia after Ghana. On April 2, she did travel back to Washington.

Influence of CCP

In the past 20 years, China has made significant investments in Africa.

A$ 2 billion infrastructure agreement that grants the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) access to Ghana’s bauxite reserves included the announcement of the first phase of a road construction project in Ghana in 2019. Bauxite is a crucial resource of copper.

Don Graves, the assistant secretary of commerce, acknowledged that China had outperformed the United States in immediate investment in Africa prior to the start of next December’s three-day U.S. Africa Leaders Summit.

According to Graves,” We took our eyes off the game, so to speak, and American investors and businesses are having to play collect up.” The best advances and systems, as well as the highest standards, are being brought by us. Instead of exploiting our member nations, the U.S. contributes to their capacity growth.

Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, stated that the Biden administration would invest$ 55 billion over the following three years in” a wide range of industries to address the primary concerns of our day.”

Biden stated at the height that he supported the inclusion of the African Union in the Group of 20 as a continuous member.

The 54 countries of the continent are included in the African Union. More than 80 % of the world gross domestic product is made up of G-20 members.

Harris emphasized that her visit, as well as American aid and engagement, are unrelated to worries about China and Russia’s expanding influence in Africa.

Yes, we are worried about stability, Harris said. We are worried about what is going on with the world as a whole. We have a sharp head about that.

However, she continued,” This walk is motivated by the significance of the special relationship between the United States and Ghana, and as I travel the globe, with those nations as well.”

Akufo-Addo downplayed the importance of China’s change in Ghana when questioned about it.

” Chinese impact on the globe may be the subject of an addiction in America. However, there isn’t such an here below, according to Akufo-Addo.