By Francis Ntow/James Amoh Jnr
Accra, March 26, GNA – United States Vice President Kamala Harris has told Ghanaians on arrival at the nation’s capital of Accra that her agenda is to promote economic growth and food security in Africa.
“On this trip, I intend to do work that’s focused on increasing investment here on the continent and facilitating economic growth and opportunity, specifically in the areas of economic empowerment of women and girls, empowerment of youth entrepreneurship, digital inclusion and to support the work that must be done to increase food security,” Harris said in a short speech after her arrival at the Jubilee Lounge, at the Kotoka International Airport, on Sunday.
She would also build on a previous meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in Washington to deepen democracy and good governance, promote peace and security, build a long-term economic growth, and strengthen our business ties.
She said: “I also look forward to, during this visit, meeting with entrepreneurs, students and farmers to witness, first-hand, the extraordinary innovation and creativity that’s occurring on this continent and inspiring the world.”
The Vice President was welcomed on arrival by her Ghanaian counterpart, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, amid traditional drumming and dancing, with cheers from some schoolchildren.
Her visit to Ghana, the first to the West African country, since becoming the Vice President, comes at a time that Ghana is facing an economic crisis.
The global second largest producer of cocoa has secured a Staff-Level Agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion Extended Credit Facility to support the country’s economic recovery and put it on a sustainable path of growth.
Ms Harris said the US saw the visit to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia as a further statement of the long and enduring important relationship and friendship between it and Africa.
Mr Jefferson Sackey, Deputy Director of Communications at the Office of Ghana’s President said in an interview with the media: “We (Ghana) see the visit of Kamala Harris as a very important one,
obviously because of the times in which we are, where the world is facing a lot of economic challenges.”
“She’ll be visiting Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia, and the key focus of this visit particular visit is to find ways and means of helping each of these countries find ways of addressing a lot of our economic woes,” Mr Sackey added.
As part of her three-day visit to Ghana, Ms Harris would hold talks with President Akufo-Addo, and meet with female entrepreneurs as her country seeks for partnerships and investments in entrepreneurship.
After spending three days in Ghana, she would go to Tanzania for two days, before stopping over for a night in Zambia.
The highlight of her trip to Ghana, will be a speech she would deliver at the Black Star Square on Tuesday, March 28.
Ms Harris would also visit a recording studio, and visit the Cape Coast Castle, Central Region, where enslaved Africans were once loaded onto ships for America and elsewhere.
GNA