On Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced the formation of a new partnership aimed at expanding internet access in Africa to 80% by 2030, up from the current 40%.
This initiative follows Harris’ visit to the continent last year and coincides with Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to Washington this week. Harris and President Ruto discussed the role of public-private partnerships in driving economic growth during a public conversation at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Friday.
“Many could rightly argue that the future is on the continent of Africa,” Harris said, adding that the average age of those living in Africa is 19, a sign of economic growth in the coming years. “It is not about, and simply about aid, but about investment and understanding the capacity that exists.”
Africa has faced challenges in securing the capital necessary for developing its industrial and technological sectors. According to a United Nations report, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa dropped to $45 billion in 2022 from a record high of $80 billion in 2021. Despite comprising about 18% of the global population, Africa accounted for only 3.5% of worldwide FDI.
In addition to launching the nonprofit Partnership for Digital Access in Africa, Vice President Kamala Harris announced an initiative aimed at providing 100 million Africans and businesses in the agricultural sector with access to the digital economy. The African Development Bank Group, Mastercard, and other organizations will help establish the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy Alliance (MADE). This alliance will initiate a pilot program to provide digital access to 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria, with plans to expand further.
Harris, the first female U.S. vice president and a Democrat, also revealed that the Women in the Digital Economy initiative, which addresses the gender divide in technology access, has generated over $1 billion in public and private commitments. Some federal commitments are still pending congressional approval.
