Vice President Harris kicks off US-Africa Summit with an address to young leaders

On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off the White House’s US-Africa Summit by delivering remarks at the African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

“In the coming days as well as the months and years ahead, our administration will invest our time and our energy to fortify partnerships across the continent. Partnerships that importantly are grounded in candor, openness, inclusiveness, shared interest, and mutual benefits,” Harris said while addressing the audience.

The vice president’s remarks took place on the first of a three-day summit hosted this week by the White House in partnership with the African Union. According to the White House, 49 African heads of state were invited to this week’s summit.

As theGrio previously reported, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Greg Meeks, D-N.Y., said, “There has never been a better time to work with our African partners to help our partnerships evolve beyond the aid narrative, deepen commercial ties, and reaffirm our commitment to equity and African agency.”

During her remarks, Harris thanked Ghanian President Nana Akufo-Addo for strengthening economic relations between the U.S. and the West African country. She also thanked Senator Cory Booker, D-NJ, “for always being a voice in the U.S. Senate on the importance of the U.S.-Africa relationship.” 

The vice president then addressed a crowd of young African leaders, affirming the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to addressing current challenges that plague African nations, such as food insecurity and a lack of access to financial resources, through building “long-term growth and innovation.”

“Africa can’t help but be in the future business. I strongly believe that the creativity and ingenuity of Africa’s young leaders will help us shape the future of the world,” she said. 

Harris continued, “Your ideas and innovations and initiatives will benefit the entire world. The Biden-Harris Administration plans to be right there alongside you…it is the spark and determination of young people that will drive and move us forward.” 

The vice president then unveiled steps that the Biden-Harris Administration is taking in order to continue to strengthen economic ties between the U.S. and Africa.

By 2024, Harris said the administration will have invested $1 billion in education and youth programming to help encourage the next generation of young African leaders. The administration will also relaunch the “African Women Entrepreneurship Program” to provide financing for women who want to see their business ideas come to life. 

“When you lift up the economic status of women, you lift up the economic status of their children of their families, and all of society benefits,” said Harris.

She added, “Our administration will be guided not by what we can do for Africa but what we can do with Africa.”

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