The U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pledged $1 billion for women empowerment in Ghana following her two-day visit to the west African State.
The $1 billion was unveiled Wednesday and is largely funded by the Private sector in the Capital, Accra.
She called for more investment in innovation for African women, particularly in the digital economy, good governance, and democracy.
The announcement was made during a round-table meeting with six Ghanaian female entrepreneurs.
“This investment represents more than $1 billion dollars that are being dedicated to advance women’s economic participation across the African continent,” said Harris.
The African Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative includes nearly $400 million from the private sector to help bridge the gender digital divide.
“Improving the economic status of women and girls is not only a matter of human rights, justice and equity, it is also a strategic imperative that reduces poverty and promotes sustainable economic growth,” she said.
Over $500 million will be used to support women’s digital economic empowerment across all African states, Harris said.
She also revealed that the US Government, together with the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation will establish a $60 million fund for women in the digital economy to address, among other things, gender imbalance on the continent.
“We will establish a $60 million global fund which among other things will address, affordability, digital literacy and gender inequality.”
Harris has already announced a $239 million aid package for Ghanaians and other four west African States (Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo) for economic and cultural development.
The package includes $100 million investment in coastal West African countries facing the risk of spillover jihadist violence from the Sahel, whereas $139 million will help support Ghana’s economy for the fiscal year 2024.
Her African tour comes on the heels of the upcoming U.S-Africa Summit in Washington this December.
U.S President Joe Biden will take the opportunity to call for a broad partnership with Africa as the U.S. seeks to assert its presence on the continent in the face of growing influence from China and Russia.
Harris arrived in Tanzania Thursday morning where she is expected to meet the country’s Head of State Samia Suluhu.
