Vice President Harris will travel to Africa in late March to visit Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia in the latest outreach by the administration to nations on that continent.
“The trip will strengthen the United States’ partnerships throughout Africa and advance our shared efforts on security and economic prosperity,” Kirsten Allen, the vice president’s press secretary, said in a statement.
Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will travel from March 25 to April 2, making stops in Accra, Ghana; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Lusaka, Zambia. She will meet with the president of each country “to discuss regional and global priorities, including our shared commitment to democracy, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, food security, and the effects of Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine, among other issues.”
Harris will also meet with business leaders, entrepreneurs and citizens of each country as part of her visit.
The vice president’s travel to Africa comes after the Biden administration hosted the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in December for the first time since 2014, with roughly 50 African leaders attending.
President Biden said during that summit that he would visit Africa at some point. First lady Jill Biden traveled last month to Namibia and Kenya.
The travel is part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to strengthen ties with Africa in a bid to counter Chinese and Russian influence on the continent.
The continent is home to key minerals for global supply chains, and its growing population means it will also provide an increasing percentage of the global workforce. African nations also make up roughly a quarter of the United Nations General Assembly, making it an influential voting bloc on matters related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.