The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, arrived at Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport on Sunday afternoon as part of her three-nation African tour.
In the typical Ghanaian sense of hospitality, Harris was welcomed with drumming and dancing amid schoolchildren waving the Ghanaian flag.
Reports indicate that the vice president has been sent to ‘deepen ties’ with the continent, amid growing competition from the likes of China and Russia, as she attempts to win over their support.
“What an honor it is to be here in Ghana and on the continent of Africa,” Harris said. “I’m very excited about the future of Africa.” She said she wanted to promote economic growth and food security and welcomed the chance to ”witness firsthand the extraordinary innovation and creativity that is occurring on this continent.”
She will visit Tanzania and Zambia after Ghana. The Vice President previously met with all three of the leaders in these countries in Washington, and she looks forward to deepening the U.S. partnership and her relationship with each of these leaders on this trip.
Ghana, the first African nation to gain independence is also one of the continent’s stable democracies with an economy that was considered one of the fastest growing in the world before COVID-19. Unfortunately, the country’s current economic crisis has left citizens in distress as the government battles a debt crisis that experts say they do not see an end in sight anytime soon.