Vice President Kamara Devi Harris Visit to Zambia – Day 2

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On background, attributed to a White House Official –

 

On Saturday, April 1 in Lusaka, the Vice President will convene business and philanthropic leaders to build on the work of her trip and discuss next steps.

 

In particular, they will discuss public and private sector investments to promote digital inclusion across the continent of Africa. They will explore ways to expand access to digital services, which will drive development across sectors and across demographics.

At this convening in Lusaka, the Vice President will issue a call to action to business and philanthropic leaders to make direct investments and social impact commitments in support of the Digital Transformation with Africa Initiative (DTA). President Biden launched DTA at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022, as part of the broader Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). As we said at the time, “A signature initiative of the Biden-Harris Administration, DTA will expand digital access and literacy and strengthen digital enabling environments across the continent.  Working with Congress, this initiative intends to invest over $350 million and facilitate over $450 million in financing for Africa in line with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy and the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa.”

 

Throughout her trip to Africa, the Vice President has worked with African partners to galvanize U.S., African, and global private sector investments for the continent, including more than $7 billion in climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation commitments and $1 billion in commitments to empower African women. In advance of this trip, the Vice President personally engaged with CEOs and heads of foundations and nonprofits, in person and on the phone, to help identify and secure investments and commitments in support of our Administration’s efforts in Africa. In her bilateral meetings with President Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President Samia of Tanzania, and President Hichilema of Zambia, the Vice President launched a series of new initiatives to strengthen business ties and advance democracy and good governance—which the Vice President has underscored is critical to foster a stable and predictable investment climate.

The Vice President will discuss her approach to public-private partnerships as exemplified by her work to address the root causes of migration in northern Central America. Through an innovative public-private partnership called Central America Forward, the Vice President has generated more than $4.2 billion in investments in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to provide economic opportunity for people there. This initiative has also connected more than 4 million people to the internet and brought more than1 million people into the formal financial economy.

 

Relevant excerpts from speech at Black Star Gate in Accra, Ghana

 

As the Vice President said in her speech in Accra, “African ideas and innovations will shape the future of the world…. And so we must invest in the African ingenuity and creativity, which will unlock incredible economic growth and opportunities, not only for the people of the 54 countries that make up this diverse continent, but for the American people and people around the world. So the Biden-Harris administration and the American people stand ready to partner with you, to help accelerate the innovation and entrepreneurship that is already underway.”

Digital inclusion was a core element of her speech in Accra. She said, “The second area where we must together make progress is in the digital economy.  Whether you are a student relying on virtual courses, a farmer relying on an app for an early warning about extreme weather, or a small-business owner looking to sell goods online, digital services are essential to 21st century economies.  Expanding access to the Internet drives growth and creates opportunity for innovation.  And once people are online, they have greater access then to education, greater access to information, and greater access to financial services — which is why the United States will double down on our effort to mobilize billions of dollars in public and private capital from the United States, the continent of Africa, and around the world, in order to expand Internet access for the benefit of all people here on the continent.”

The Vice President also signaled in her speech her desire to strengthen partnerships with the private sector, and this convening is in line with that approach. In Accra she said, “To this end, the partnership between the public and private sectors is essential.  Partnerships that combine the experience and expertise of the private sector with the reach and capacity that only governments can provide. Together, we can unleash growth and opportunity that far exceeds what either the public or private sector can achieve on its own.  And the United States is committed to build these types of partnerships to increase digital inclusion on the continent.”