Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a new partnership to help provide internet access to 80% of Africa by 2030, up from roughly 40% currently. This initiative follows Harris’ visit to the continent last year and this week’s visit to Washington by Kenyan President William Ruto. Africa has struggled to receive the capital needed to build up its industrial and technological sectors, with the continent accounting for only 3.5% of global foreign direct investment despite making up 18% of the global population.
Harris is launching the nonprofit Partnership for Digital Access in Africa to improve internet access and a new initiative aimed at providing 100 million African people and businesses in the agricultural sector access to the digital economy. The African Development Bank Group and Mastercard, among other organizations, will form the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy Alliance, which will pilot a program to give digital access to 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria. Additionally, the Women in the Digital Economy efforts to address the gender gap in technology access have generated over $1 billion in public and private commitments, with some U.S. commitments pending congressional approval.
The U.N. reported that foreign direct investment in Africa fell to $45 billion in 2022 from a record high of $80 billion in 2021. Harris’ initiatives aim to address this lack of investment in Africa’s industrial and technological sectors. The announcement of the new partnerships comes as a follow-through on Harris’ commitments to promote digital innovation made during her visits to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia. Harris and Kenyan President William Ruto were scheduled to have a fireside chat on the role of public-private partnerships in increasing economic growth during Ruto’s visit to Washington.
The Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy Alliance will focus on providing digital access to farmers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria before expanding further across the continent. Harris aims to increase internet access in Africa with the goal of reaching 80% coverage by 2030. This initiative is part of her broader efforts to drive economic growth and promote digital innovation on the African continent. The partnerships formed will work towards bridging the digital divide and increasing access to technology across Africa by leveraging public-private collaborations.
Harris’ focus on increasing internet access in Africa is part of a broader effort to address the lack of investment in the continent’s industrial and technological sectors. The formation of the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa and the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy Alliance aim to provide digital access to millions of people and businesses, particularly those in the agricultural sector. The initiatives also seek to address the gender gap in technology access, with efforts to generate over $1 billion in public and private commitments. Harris’ initiatives aim to drive economic growth and promote digital innovation in Africa through public-private partnerships.
The announcement of the new partnerships comes amidst a visit to Washington by Kenyan President William Ruto and is a follow-through on Harris’ commitments made during her previous visits to the continent. Harris and Ruto were set to discuss the role of public-private partnerships in boosting economic growth during Ruto’s visit. The partnerships formed, along with the initiatives announced by Harris, mark a significant step towards increasing internet access and driving economic development in Africa. Harris’ initiatives underscore the importance of collaboration and investment in Africa’s industrial and technological sectors to promote growth and innovation on the continent.
