ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday praised Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo for his “democratic principles” during a visit with the West African leader, who’s facing rising discontent over inflation and fresh concerns about regional security.
Harris is just beginning a weeklong trip to the continent that will also take her to Tanzania and Zambia, part of a concerted effort to broaden U.S. outreach at a time when China and Russia have entrenched interests of their own in Africa.
On Monday, the vice president was welcomed into the Ghanaian presidential palace, called the Jubilee House, where she promised assistance with security in the nation and increased investments there, announcing $100 million in U.S. aid to the region.
“Under your leadership, Ghana has been a beacon of democracy and a contributor to global peace and security,” she told the president in remarks following their meeting.
Akufo-Addo oversaw one of the world’s fast-growing economies before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the cost of food and other necessities has been skyrocketing, and the country is facing a debt crisis as it struggles to make payments.
During the meeting with Harris, Akufo-Addo called for solidarity as countries like Ghana work to get their economies “back on track.” He also expressed concern that private American investors tend to overlook the nation.
“We want to be able to change that dynamic,” he said. He said their meeting had been a “boost to the steadfast cooperation” between the two nations.
In addition, sporadic fighting has increased in Ghana’s north, which borders the more tumultuous nation of Burkina Faso and the Sahel, a region where local offshoots of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have been operating.
Akufo-Addo called terrorism a “poison” that was spreading across West Africa, making the region unstable.
We’re spending a lot of sleepless nights trying to make sure we’re protected here,” he told the vice president as the two gathered in a conference room at the palace, their delegations seated on opposite sides of a long table.
During a press conference following their meeting, Akufo-Addo said he was concerned about terror groups but said he had no formal confirmation that al-Qaida is present in the nation.
He also said he worried that the Russian mercenary force known as Wagner could expand its footprint in the region.
“It raises the very real possibility that once again our continent is going to become the playground for a great power conflict,” Akufo-Addo said.
Akufo-Addo dismissed any concerns about China’s influence in the region, saying his country had relationships with many nations, including the United States, and they were separate from one another.
“The relationships with America is a relationship that has been close over several decades,” he said.