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March 26, 2023 | 2:52 p.m
Harris is on a week-long trip to Africa. AP Photo/Misper Apawu
Vice President Kamala Harris was greeted by schoolchildren, dancers and drummers as she arrived in Ghana on Sunday to begin a week-long visit to Africa aimed at deepening US ties amid global competition for the continent’s future.
“We look forward to this trip as another sign of the long and enduring very important relationship and friendship between the people of the United States and those who live on this continent,” Harris said.
The children cheered and waved Ghanaian and American flags as she stepped off her plane after a night flight.
She smiled widely and put a hand to her heart as she walked past the dancers.
“What an honor to be here in Ghana and on the African continent,” Harris said. “I’m very excited about Africa’s future.” She said she wants to boost economic growth and food security and welcomes the opportunity to “see first-hand the extraordinary innovation and creativity that’s happening on this continent.”
Ghana is one of the continent’s most stable democracies, but Harris comes at a difficult time for the West African nation.
The US hopes the trio will help deepen America’s ties with African countriesAP Photo/Misper Apawu
Its economy, which was among the fastest growing in the world prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, is facing a debt crisis and rising inflation that is driving up the cost of groceries and other necessities.
Ghana, a country of 34 million that’s slightly smaller than Oregon, is also wary of threats of instability in the region.
Burkina Faso and Mali have each experienced two coups in recent years, and local offshoots of al Qaeda and the Islamic State group operate in the region north of Ghana known as the Sahel.
Thousands of people were killed and millions more displaced.
The fighting has created an opening for the Russian mercenary force known as Wagner, which has a presence in Africa, although it also took part in the invasion of Ukraine.
Mali welcomed Wagner after driving out French troops stationed there, and there are fears Burkina Faso will do the same.
The economic and security challenges are likely to be discussed on Monday when Harris meets with Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo. They are also expected to hold a joint press conference.
The two leaders have met twice before, both times in Washington.
Harris was greeted by Ghanaian school children. AP Photo/Misper Apawu
At their first meeting in September 2021, Akufo-Addo said: “Our great challenge – and it is a challenge for everyone who wants to develop democratic institutions on our continent – is to ensure and reassure our people that democratic institutions are a vehicle.” can do for the solution of their big problem – that is economic development as a means to eradicate poverty on the continent.”
Harris is the high-profile member of President Biden’s administration to visit Africa this year. After Ghana, she plans to visit Tanzania and Zambia.
She returns to Washington on April 2nd.
The extended reach is intended to counteract the influence of China, which has solidified in recent years through infrastructure initiatives, money lending and the expansion of telecommunications networks.
Ghana, for example, has struck a $2 billion deal with a Chinese company to develop roads and other projects in exchange for access to a key mineral for aluminum production.
Most of Harris’ events in Ghana focus on young people. Africa’s population has an average age of 19 years.
On Monday, she plans to visit a skate park and co-working space that has a recording studio for local artists.
Her husband, Doug Emhoff, who is accompanying her on the trip, will host a town hall meeting with actors from a local television show and attend a girls’ basketball clinic.
In the evening, they will attend a state banquet with the Ghanaian President and First Lady.
On Tuesday, Harris will speak and visit Cape Coast Castle, where enslaved Africans were once loaded onto ships bound for America.
Before leaving for Tanzania on Wednesday, Harris will meet with women entrepreneurs and Emhoff will tour a chocolate company started by two sisters.
The company’s name, ’57 Chocolate, refers to Ghana’s independence.
The vice president will also visit Tanzania and Zambia AP Photo/Misper Apawu
Cameron Hudson, an Africa expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Ghana is “a bright spot in the region” but “it faces some very strong headwinds”.
He pointed out that the south of the country, where the capital Accra is located, is mainly Christian while the northern area is mainly Muslim and there are fears that militants could expand their operations there.
“These terrorist groups are able to exploit existing fault lines within these societies,” he said.
Hudson said Ghanaian authorities intercepted arms shipments and people smugglers. Violence sometimes erupts, and the number of incidents has skyrocketed over the past year.
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