America commemorates independence day - Pledges greater ties with Ghana
As part of the special supplement organised by the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Ghana to commemorate the July 4 independence anniversary of the United States of America, the Assistant Editor of the Graphic Business, Charles Benoni Okine (CBO), interviewed the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Stephanie S. Sullivan (SSS) via a written questionnaire.
Below is the full unedited version of that exclusive.
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Charles Benoni Okine (CBO) - The U.S. Independence Day is here again. Congratulations! What is new to celebrate in the midst of COVID-19?
Mrs Stephanie S. Sullivan (SSS) - Thank you for your kind wishes.
And to your readers who commemorate Happy Fourth!
Although the U.S. Embassy will be celebrating our Independence Day virtually once again this year, my sincere hope is that we will be able to celebrate in person next year.
This time last year, all of us were settling into the new normal that the pandemic ushered in globally — nose masks, frequent handwashing, keeping our distance, and seeking well ventilated spaces. I commend the government and people of Ghana fortheir resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United States is honoured to partner you in our common effort to combat this virus. My answer may surprise you but after 16 months of living within the confines of the pandemic, I believe that we are turning a corner globally and have much to celebrate.
This is all thanks to adherence to mitigation measures and the extraordinary success of science that pushed a vaccine to be developed and deployed in record time.
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The United States is proud to rejoin the World Health Organisation and to lead the global COVID-19 response as the largest contributor to COVAX, the global vaccine delivery programme.
This programme’s very first beneficiary was Ghana in February of this year. We expect that with the U.S. government’s additional vaccine donation into COVAX, and the recently announced bilateral donation, more vaccines will soon arrive in Ghana.
With additional vaccines distributed worldwide, countries can fully focus on economic recovery, communities can ease back into a more normal way of life, and family members can safely create more memories in person.
CBO - What has been the state of U.S - Ghana bilateral relations over the years to date? Anything uniquely special?
SSS - From my previous assignment in Ghana 20 years ago, I have witnessed our bilateral relationship grow from strength to strength.
We’re also proud of the longevity of the U.S. relationship with Ghana, dating back to March 6, 1957, when we established diplomatic ties. The 4th of July marks the anniversary of our nation’s birth and calls to mind milestones in U.S. history.
This year, I’m delighted to share noteworthy anniversaries of key institutions that reflect U.S. values and that have helped shape the U.S.-Ghana bilateral relationship: the Fulbright Programme and the U.S.
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) both celebrate 75 years and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Peace Corps both turn 60 this year.
Created in the aftermath of World War II, the Fulbright Programme reflects our commitment to peaceful relations among nations.
For 75 years, and 63 years in Ghana, the Fulbright Programme has given hundreds of thousands of students, scholars, teachers, and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to complex global challenges.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the United States’ health protection agency and is committed to creating a world where all people — in the United States and around the globe — live healthier, safer, and longer lives.
Along with national and international partners, CDC has worked with Ghana since 2008 to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, influenza, and other emerging disease threats such as COVID-19.
For 60 years, the USAID has been the world’s leader in international development. The USAID demonstrates American generosity and has a longstanding history and reputation of partnering countries around the world, including Ghana, to achieve long-term, sustainable development and to improve the lives of individuals and communities.
Using U.S. foreign assistance, USAID continues to spur economic growth, promote peace and regional security, improve accountable governance, and strengthen global health.
We also celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps this year, an important milestone in the U.S.-Ghana relationship, as Ghana was the first country to receive volunteers in 1961. As a former Volunteer myself, I’m proud to say that the Peace Corps reflects the best of the U.S. spirit of service and volunteerism.
More than 240,000 Americans have served in 141 countries working with communities to enhance education, health, and agriculture.
Close to 5,000 Americans have served in Ghana alone. CBO - The U.S. has a new President with a new agenda. What’s the U.S. President's plan for Africa and Ghana in particular? SSS - U.S. policy towards Africa has enjoyed longstanding bipartisan support no matter who holds the highest office. The United States has consistently worked together with African partners, including Ghana, to strengthen democratic institutions, promote two-way trade and investment, and support regional security.
The Biden administration values African partnerships. President Biden is committed to strengthening our partnerships around the world, including with international institutions such as the African Union. His address to the AU Summit just weeks after his inauguration was a clear example of this commitment.
The pandemic has taught us that, more than ever, our world is interconnected, and global challenges require global solutions. Our shared U.S. and Ghanaian aspirations — democracy, inclusive economic growth and prosperity, and security — are the timeless foundations of our partnership, so I’m confident Ghana will continue to have a steady partner in the United States, as it has since 1957. CBO - Ghana has suffered greatly under COVID-19.
What is the contribution by U.S Government to assist Ghana fight the global pandemic? SSS - The United States has worked closely with Ghana since the start of the pandemic and has contributed well over $30 million to support the COVID-19 response in Ghana. These funds are being used to address the immediate and medium-term effects of COVID-19 on the health, agriculture, and education sectors, and to encourage the hard-hit private sector.
In the health care realm, the U.S. Mission, USAID, U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and Department of Defence have provided critical technical assistance to strengthen contact tracing, surveillance, and laboratory activities as well as delivered life-saving medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE).
To aid the hard-hit agriculture sector, USAID strengthened links between farmers and processors to maintain a steady supply of products and financing to produce nutritious food.
The USAID also provided emergency grants to local apparel manufacturers to repurpose their production lines and train personnel in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And to support primary school age students out of school due to the global pandemic, we launched the national radio programme in English and 11local languages to improve reading among Ghana’s youth.
As I noted, the United States is the largest contributor to COVAX, already having provided $2 billion and pledged an additional $2 billion in funds to the COVAX facility in support of vaccine manufacturing and delivery across the globe.
And June saw three major announcements on the vaccine front – on June 3, President Biden announced that the United States will allocate approximately five million vaccine doses to Africa via COVAX as part of the U.S. government’s global vaccine distribution plan.
On June 10, President Biden announced the purchase and donation of an additional 500 million vaccines to 92 low and lower middle-income countries and the African Union via COVAX.
And on June 21, the White House announced that the United States will allocate approximately 10 million additional vaccine doses to Africa in coordination with the African Union.
In the same announcement, Ghana was selected to receive bilateral vaccine donations from the United States. I’d also like to add the U.S. contributions to the Global Fund. To date, as the biggest donor to the Fund, the United States has contributed $17.6 billion dollars. The United States Government in March made an additional $3.5 billion dollar contribution to the Global Fund specifically for the COVID-19 response, of which Ghana is eligible to access up to $68 million to address the pandemic.
CBO - What is the state of AGOA now? Are Ghanaians leveraging it enough?
SSS - I’d like to remind readers that the U.S. government renewed the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 2025,so Ghanaian businesses should take advantage of the multi-year nature of this outstanding programme.
AGOA provides preferential access to the U.S. market for over 1,800 products and is a great way for Ghanaian firms to export their products to the United States duty free. The Ghanaian government adopted an AGOA utilisation strategy in 2017 with technical assistance from USAID, and we were pleased to see steady growth in Ghana’s apparel exports, for example, over the past few years.
Some of the firms that were taking advantage of AGOA were also able to pivot during 2020 to produce PPE to support Ghana’s COVID-19 response. But there is always room for improvement, and we encourage more Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of the program. For one of the main tools created to help this sector – the West Africa Trade and Investment Hub – see Westafricatradehub.com
The Hub is a “one stop shop” for businesses in Ghana and across the region that want more information about how to export to the United States under AGOA so they can create jobs and boost exports.
This assistance includes help navigating AGOA procedures and regulations, and even facilitating linkages with U.S. distributors.
Small businesses are at the heart of any successful economy, and that’s why our economic assistance focuses on enhancing the competitiveness of local firms.
CBO - How can U.S. companies operating on the continent take advantage of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation? Is there anything more Ghanaian artisans and companies can do to leverage it more than what they are doing now?
SSS - Private firms can access the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to help finance projects, purchase political risk insurance, and partially guarantee investments.
The DFC is currently supporting over a dozen projects in Ghana worth nearly $1 billion dollars. The U.S.DFC support includes projects to expand health care facilities, to generate power, and to improve access to finance for SMEs in the agricultural sector. The DFC has also established a $100 million loan facility with CAL Bank to support on-lending to SMEs in Ghana.
The DFC is ready to assist private firms investing in Ghana. Interested companies should visit the DFC’s website at dfc.gov to review the eligibility checklist.
Firms can also contact the Prosper Africa Secretariat at [email protected] to inquire about what other U.S. government mechanisms might support their investment projects.
CBO - Energy still remains a big thing for Ghana. With your companies working here in Ghana, has the United States any plans to support the sector overcome its challenges to make businesses thrive?
SSS - Yes, we have roughly 120 companies operating in Ghana, several of which work in the energy sector, including oil services companies, investorsin Ghana’s power sector, and U.S. suppliers of energy technologies.
U.S. businesses transfer knowledge, provide customer service, create high-quality products, abide by anti-corruption rules, and create jobs.
A favourable business climate, including respect for contract sanctity, is essential to attracting additional U.S. investors to Ghana, including in the important energy sector.
The United States, through our Power Africa programme, has provided significant technical assistance to help Ghana overcome its challenges in the energy sector, including working with the Ghanaian government, the German government, and the World Bank to develop Ghana’s Energy Sector Recovery Programme, which is aimed at stabilising the sector’s finances.
Additionally, Power Africa is working to expand energy access to consumers and businesses that are not connected to the national grid, and to increase the productive uses of renewable energy with technologies such as solar irrigation for farms.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to talk about our work through the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). MCC and the Millennium Development Authority continue to implement the $308 million Ghana Power Compact to transform Ghana’s power sector through key infrastructure investments that will provide more reliable electricity by resolving voltage regulation problems, improving voltage profiles, and increasing the power supply to Ghana’s businesses and households, including approximately 4.8 million consumers.
The Pokuase and Kasoa Bulk Supply Points (BSPs) are the two flagship investments under the MCC Compact to improve the electricity transmission grid and distribution network.
The Pokuase BSP is a $50 million power substation, the first in Accra, with the largest capacity in the country. The Pokuase BSP was recently tested and energised in May, and is now operational, paving the way for more reliable energy for customers in Pokuase and surrounding areas.
Pokuase will soon be followed by the Kasoa Bulk Supply Point, a $44 million power substation. Construction at Kasoa continues and will come online laterin the year. Unreliable electricity leaves Ghanaians in the dark; these investments the United States is making together with the government of Ghana are paving the way for a brighter future.
CBO - Any special message
SSS - Thank you to theAmerican Chamber of Commerce-Ghana (AMCHAM) and its memberswho eagerly joined the fight against the pandemic in Ghana.
The American private sector provided significant relief to Ghana throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and I applaud their efforts, listed online at Amchamghana.org/covid-19-support.
To name just a few of the many contributions by U.S. companies, Newmont Ghana donated more than $350,000 and personal protective equipment to support healthcare workers and facilities, supported the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) with a GH¢3.1 million donation to procure PCR testing equipment to track the disease, then also cut sod last year on an isolation ward at St John Hospital in Duayaw Nkwanta, Ahafo Region.
Coca-Cola donated to Ghana’s COVID-19 private sector fund and provided beverages to frontline health care workers and those whose incomes were affected by the lockdown. Johnson & Johnson, on top of developing a life-saving vaccine, also donated GH¢100,000 to Ghana’s COVID-19 private sector fund. And the American Tower Corporation also stepped up, donating thousands of units of PPE to several hospitals around Ghana, and $100,000 to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
