US Vice President Kamala Harris and Women's Economic Empowerment in Africa

A woman sells food items at a local market in Nigeria. Picture: REUTERS/Joseph Penney

A woman sells food items at a local market in Nigeria. Picture: REUTERS/Joseph Penney

Published Apr 5, 2023

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US Vice President Kamala Harris' latest visit to Zambia was not only on a political scale but has also boosted socio-economic activities in the country which are set to highlight the importance of women and their role on the continent.

This comes as former Afghan Ambassador to the United States and Delphos International chairperson Amb Roya Rahmani joined Harris during the launch of the Digital Coalition Program in Lusaka Zambia on April 1.

The programme, initiated by Delphos International, has committed to mobilising up to $250 million by 2027 to advance women’s economic security across Africa, including $100 million for projects to advance digital gender equality and women’s clean energy contributions, such as through products particularly benefiting women customers or supporting women-led enterprises.

US Vice President Kamala Harris engages stakeholders in Zambia on empowering women in the region. Picture: Supplied

"With a strong resolve to address financing gaps in developing countries, we have been building bridges between government, Development Financial institutions, investors and the private sector to enable implementation of projects that can change the lives of many ordinary people, with a particular focus on women. It is embedded in our philosophy that women's empowerment must be the bedrock of our efforts towards digital transformation, sustainable infrastructure, and climate resiliency," the organisation says.

While in Zambia, Harris also learnt about how the country has used technology to boost farming initiatives as African countries step up their efforts to address food security and tackle climate change.

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