Kamala Harris Speaks in Ghana as Part of African Tour

Facts

• On Wednesday, US Vice President Kamala Harris visited Ghana as her first stop on an African tour that also includes Tanzania and Zambia. She delivered a speech on women’s empowerment and the importance of Africa to the world to thousands of young Ghanaians in Accra.¹
• This week-long trip to Africa is part of Washington’s diplomatic push to counter efforts made by Russia and China on the continent. The two American rivals have invested billions, and the US is looking to strengthen its relationship with multiple African countries.²
• On Wednesday, Harris unveiled a $1B initiative to promote women’s economic empowerment. Before departing, Harris was set to host a roundtable in Ghana with female entrepreneurs.³
• This comes a day after she detailed an American initiative to help Africans to address gender disparities and to invest in regional creativity.⁴
• On Tuesday, she visited the colonial-era Cape Coast Castle seaside port, where many slaves were held before sailing to the Americas. Her intent was to confront and remember painful history while also envisioning a future driven by African innovation.⁵
• The location was visited by former Pres. Barack Obama in 2009, and has become a prime location when Western leaders visit West Africa to similarly speak out against the history of slavery and portray an optimistic future.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²Quartz, ³The Hill, ⁴Reuters, ⁵Associated Press, and ⁶CNN.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by PJ Media. Vice President Harris has been left to deliver a compelling message and make empty promises to African leaders despite massive gains by Russia and China across the continent. Beijing has dropped tariffs to allow duty-free imports from several African countries and struck a multibillionaire deal with Ghana, and Russia likewise is showing increased geopolitical influence. Her visit on behalf of a languishing Biden administration is too little, too late.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by NY1. Harris’ visit to Ghana — the first stop on her week-long trip to Africa — was a poignant event that can serve to inspire millions of young Africans, particularly women. The Biden admin. is bringing Africa and the US into a new era of partnership by honestly confronting the past and looking to the future.