WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Friday the formation of a new partnership to help provide internet access to 80% of Africa by 2030, up from around 40% currently.
This announcement follows Harris’ visit to the continent last year and in conjunction with this week’s visit in Washington by Kenyan President William Ruto. Harris and the Kenyan leader held a public discussion Friday at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce about how public-private partnerships can increase economic growth.
“Many could rightly argue that the future lies on the African continent,” Harris said, noting that the median age in Africa is 19, a sign of the potential for economic growth. “It’s not just about aid, but about investment and understanding existing capabilities. »
Africa has struggled to obtain the capital needed to develop its industrial and technology sectors. THE The United Nations reported last year that foreign direct investment in the continent fell to $45 billion in 2022, from a record $80 billion in 2021. Africa accounted for just 3.5% of global foreign direct investment, although it represents approximately 18% of the world’s population.
In addition to launching the nonprofit Africa Digital Access Partnership, Harris announced an initiative to give 100 million Africans and businesses in the agricultural sector access to the digital economy.
The African Development Bank Group and Mastercard, among other organizations, will help form the Alliance for Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy, or MADE. The alliance will launch a pilot program to give digital access to 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria, before expanding elsewhere.
Harris, a Democrat and the first female vice president of the United States, also announced that efforts by women in the digital economy to close the gender divide in access to technology have now generated more than a billion dollars in public and private commitments, with some federal commitments awaiting congressional approval. .
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News Source : apnews.com
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