Today, Vice President Kamala Harris announced initiatives to strengthen the United States’ partnership with Ghana and promote regional security. The two nations share a strong bilateral relationship rooted in historical, cultural, and economic ties and shared democratic values. As part of the Vice President’s visit to Accra, the White House announced U.S. plans to provide $139 million in bilateral assistance for Ghana in Fiscal Year 2024.
One of the key initiatives that Vice President Harris announced was a U.S. plan to invest over $100 million to support conflict prevention and stabilization efforts in Coastal West Africa. At least $86 million in funding over three years will be specifically dedicated to the implementation of the new 10-year plan to address regional threats of violent extremism and instability in Coastal West Africa.
The Vice President also highlighted U.S. support for the holistic approach being taken by Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo to address threats of violent extremism and instability. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State have begun implementing new programs to help strengthen economic development and increase governance and resilience in at-risk communities, including northern Ghana.
Another initiative announced by Vice President Harris was U.S. support for Ghana’s economic recovery and debt restructuring. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) will deploy a full-time resident advisor to Accra in 2023 to assist the Ministry of Finance in developing and executing medium- to long-term reforms needed to improve debt sustainability and support a competitive, dynamic government debt market.
To further support Ghana’s debt management, USAID is funding fellowships for a team of ten specialists to work within the Ministry of Finance, providing surge support for a two-year period. The fellows are all young, qualified Ghanaians and recent university graduates.
The U.S. is also working with Congress to support women and youth entrepreneurs from multiple African countries by creating a Small Business Development Center at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, headquartered in Accra. The center aims to build the capacity of women- and youth-owned small and medium enterprises by providing the training and skills necessary to grow their businesses, export, and become stronger players in the African and global economy.
Lastly, the U.S. Department of Labor has increased funding for its programming to combat child labour, forced labour, and trafficking in Ghana with new investments of over $2 million and continued support and engagement.
The initiatives announced by Vice President Harris demonstrate the U.S.’s commitment to supporting Ghana and the region in a variety of areas, including conflict prevention, economic development, and human rights. Through these initiatives and continued collaboration, the U.S. and Ghana can continue to build upon their strong partnership and shared values.
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