Six key areas the US intends to work on to deepen relations with Africa

We’re doing that through programs like Power Africa, which has already connected more than 165 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa with cleaner, more reliable electricity.

We’re doing it through new initiatives as well, including the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, where we’re teaming up with our partners in the G7 as well as with African host governments to drive investment in areas that will lead the 21st century economy: from the digital economy, to health and energy security, to transportation infrastructure.

I’m proud to launch another new initiative today: the Technical Assistance for Bankable Infrastructure program to boost private sector investment in Africa’s growth sectors.

This program will make it easier for the U.S. private sector to provide technical assistance to partner African governments so that African officials can better identify commercially viable infrastructure projects.  It will create a process for both parties to pursue these projects together.

So there’s no shortage of ideas, there’s no shortage of initiatives, there’s no shortage of enthusiasm for the ways that we can work together to deepen trade and investment.  And we’re making these investments with an eye, yes, to the present, but also to the future – not just the next fiscal year, not even the next few years, but with the next decade and longer in mind as well.

At the heart of these programs, these initiatives that I’ve touched on today, there is one very simple and fundamental goal: working more closely together so we can deliver for our people on the issues that actually matter most to them in their daily lives.  And ultimately, that’s profoundly important for governments as well because the fundamental challenge that we all face is that – can we effectively deliver on the needs, on the aspirations of our people?

Clearly, the connections that we’re making, the work that we’re doing, the leadership that you’re showing in connecting the United States and African nations through business, through trade, through commerce, through investment – it’s one of the most significant ways that we can actually do that.

Creating good-paying jobs, reducing inequity in our societies, dealing with the climate crisis, strengthening our health security.  In these and so many ways, the private sector is driving the future, driving opportunity, driving the need of governments to address the challenges that our people face.

So we’re taking an intentional approach to commercial diplomacy, and we’re doing that in the spirit of partnership.  I’m convinced that will lead to the benefit of the African people, to the benefit of the American people, and ultimately to the benefit of people around the world.

Thank you so much for the engagement that you’re showing, the work that you’re doing every single day.  It’s wonderful to be able to meet this week in Washington.  I think it’s a way of further energizing all of these efforts, but ultimately it’s what’s happening every day beyond here that’s going to make a difference.  And I hope that each of you leaves the summit when it’s over further energized to build these partnerships, to build these relationships, to build this future together.

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