Vice president Kamala Harris visits Ghana and promised $139 million aid package

Is the United State competing with China’s influence in Africa? The Vice president is in Ghana and she announced a robust aid package worth $139 million. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Monday a $139 million aid package for Ghana next year as part of her week-long trip to Africa. The aid package is aimed at strengthening conflict prevention and stabilization efforts in Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo. 

Harris’s visit to Africa is part of the U.S. government's efforts to counter growing Chinese and Russian influence on the continent.

China has invested heavily in Africa over the last two decades, particularly in infrastructure, mining, timber, and fishing. Meanwhile, Russian private military contractor Wagner Group has been providing security assistance in several African countries. The U.S. government's aid package comes as part of its effort to counter the influence of China and Russia in Africa.

The aid package will address the regional threats of violent extremism and instability in Coastal West Africa. It will also include the deployment of an adviser from the U.S. Office of Technical Assistance to Ghana to help the country improve its debt sustainability and support a competitive, dynamic government debt market.

Ghana defaulted on most of its $29 billion external debt last year due to soaring interest payments and inflation. The country is still negotiating a resolution with its private international bondholders and bilateral creditors. China is Ghana's biggest bilateral creditor with about $1.9 billion of debt. Ghana's finance ministry said last week it expected to secure financing assurances "very soon" following meetings in China.

Harris's trip to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia is part of a series of tours by senior U.S. government officials aimed at improving ties with the continent. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ethiopia and Niger, where he announced $150 million in humanitarian aid for Africa's Sahel region.

The U.S. government's aid package to Ghana and its efforts to improve ties with Africa demonstrate its commitment to countering the growing influence of China and Russia in the region.