US Earmarks $1B for Women Empowerment in Africa

US VP Kamala Harris landed in Dar es Salaam airport on Thursday 30 March 2023 on a three-day official visit to Tanzania. She flew from Ghana and plans to visit Zambia after Tanzania during her Africa tour.

VP Harris expressed great admiration for the Tanzanian woman President Samia Hassan who has become “an inspiration and testimony to Tanzanian young girls” and beyond. Kamala Harris also lauded Samia Hassan’s as a “champion of democracy” for rolling back some of the more authoritarian measures of her predecessor John Magufuli.

On her side, President Samia expressed the wish to expand the long-term US visa program and to extend the #AGOA for another decade. She also expressed Tanzania is ready to extend its proverbial ‘karibu’ and hospitality to President Biden on his upcoming tour in Africa.

While in Tanzania, Harris announced that the US EXIM Bank will sign an MOU to make available up to USD 500 million to boost #TradeFacilitation and #FDI between the US and Africa. The targeted sectors include infrastructure, transport, #digitalization and #GreenTransition.

To further support #WomenEmpowerment in Africa, VP Harris also pledged a USD one billion envelope to that effect. It is no coincidence that the announcement was officially made in Tanzania where the President Samia Hassan is a lady and is currently the only female head of state in Africa.