Foreign
By Kennedy Nnamani
THE United States through her Trade and Development Agency, USTDA, has announced new commitments that will support the development of resilient healthcare systems and increase access to quality healthcare in Nigeria and across the continent.
This was disclosed in a press statement from Prosper Africa, the U.S. Government initiative to increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and African countries.
Eno T. Ebong, Director of the USTDA, who made this disclosure noted that new commitments will also help to expand internet access in support of bridging the digital divide across Southern Africa and support South Africa’s decarbonization efforts through the Just Energy Transition Partnership.
She further announced USTDA funding for a feasibility study to develop Morocco’s first smart grid, which will transform the power distribution infrastructure in Marrakech.
Ebong also co-hosted a roundtable along with the Africa Investment Forum to spotlight women-led businesses and projects that are facilitating the deployment of U.S. solutions to Africa’s infrastructure in support of Prosper Africa.
In the same vein, Travis Adkins, President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. African Development Foundation, USADF, highlighted the central role of African small and medium-sized enterprises in fueling the continent’s economic growth and recovery.
He reinforced USADF’s core commitments to providing direct investments and technical assistance to African-owned and African-led enterprises and social entrepreneurs.
The statement also disclosed that Adkins also engaged with African government officials to discuss the potential for partnerships, with a focus on USADF’s priority programming areas of food security, youth employment, women’s economic empowerment and renewable energy.
It is pertinent to note that throughout the event, a powerful group of U.S. investors forged new connections with African public and private sector leaders and participated in a series of pitch sessions focused on investment opportunities in resilient infrastructure.
Joseph Boateng, Chief Investment Officer of Casey Family Programs, shared that “Prosper Africa is working with institutional investors to help them overcome their misperceptions of the risks of investing in Africa by introducing investment opportunities and the tools available to mitigate their real risks.”
Tags: Eno T. Ebong Joseph Boateng Travis Adkins USTDA
