Speaking on December 15, 2022 in Washington at the US-Africa Leaders Meeting is Vice President Harris.
On Saturday, Vice President Harris will fly to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia for a week. As the White House aims to broaden its influence and confront Chinese influence on the continent, she will be the senior Biden administration official to travel there.
Presidents Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, and President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana are among the leaders Harris hopes to meet with. She already did so in December at the Africa Leaders Summit in Washington.
Senior government officials told journalists that Harris’s personal life will also be a part of the trip. She will go to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, which she has already visited. Her grandfather worked in government.
According to officials, Harris’ visit is a component of President Biden’s pledge to “all-in on Africa.” This year, the President is anticipated to return to the continent.
Earlier this month, First Lady Jill Biden visited Namibia and Kenya, and last week, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited Ethiopia and Niger. Additionally this year, Senegal, Zambia, and South Africa were visited by Finance Minister Janet Yellen.
“It’s a collaboration that works both ways. Not imposing solutions is the goal. A senior government official added, “And it’s not just about foreign help or humanitarian aid. It’s about deep human ties, creative partnerships, and reciprocal economic progress between the people of the United States and the African continentIn her meetings with executives, students and business owners, Harris intends to discuss issues related to democracy, technology, economic growth, food security and Russia’s war in Ukraine, officials said.
The Biden administration’s push on the continent comes after China and Russia have increased their investment and presence in the region. The visit of senior officials like Harris helps provide a contrast to what the US can offer the continent.
China and Russia are trying to “build dependency,” said Mark Green, a former ambassador to Tanzania who served as head of the US Agency for International Development during the Trump administration. “We’re trying to build independence,” Green said in an interview.
But the US focus must be on listening to leaders about the needs of the continent, not US geopolitical strategy, said Green, who is now director of the Wilson Center in Washington.
“Whenever you say ‘strategic’ or when you talk about China, the natural response of Africans is, ‘OK, well, it’s not about us, it’s about someone else,’” Green said.
