Dear Secretary Blinken,

We, the undersigned, representing several organizations committed to advancing sustainable development and fighting extreme poverty in Africa, welcome your diplomatic mission to Nigeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, and Angola.

The United States has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering growth and prosperity in Africa through collaborative initiatives such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Power Africa, Prosper Africa, and other investments through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the State Department, Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and more. These initiatives are yielding concrete results in the fight against HIV/AIDS, improving trade and investments, fostering education and gender equality, and empowering communities. They underscore your recognition of the importance of inclusive development for sustainable progress in Africa and globally. We are grateful for the U.S. hosting the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and building on the commitments made there.  

As continued U.S. leadership on the continent will be critical, your visit presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen the U.S.-African partnership so that we can work together to save lives, increase opportunities, and improve the future for millions of Africans. African health, food, climate, and economic security are national security priorities that impact Africa and the U.S., so we must continue working together on these shared priorities. 

As you are aware, while Africa boasts some of the most talented health professionals, both at home and in the diaspora, contributing to health research and treatment, health outcomes in Africa rank among the worst in the world, highlighting the urgent need for ongoing regional and global cooperation to strengthen health systems.  Despite these challenges, the introduction of malaria vaccines is a game-changer in our efforts to combat this deadly disease, which disproportionately affects African nations. It holds immense potential to save many lives and contribute to the overall improvement of public health. But we cannot ignore the ongoing need to maintain routine immunization progress while also vaccinating the millions of under-vaccinated children on the continent who were left behind during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tackling this will require proactive involvement and financial commitments from leading global economies like the United States, especially to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. These investments will ultimately save millions of lives, support the continent’s ambitions to strengthen local vaccine production capacities, enhance the ability to respond to health crises and foster resilience and self-sufficiency in the face of emerging challenges.

Furthermore, we must recognize the critical issue of climate change, which threatens Africa’s growth and sustainable development. The impacts of climate change, including disruption to agriculture and food security, affect vulnerable African communities despite being the least polluting continent. Recognizing the danger, the US-Africa Summit 2022 emphasized the need for collaborative efforts with global partners to address climate issues. We urge you to use your visit to build on this conversation. 

Africa has clearly articulated its intentions to collaborate with the global community in addressing climate change. The continent possesses the ideas, tools, and renewable resources that could fuel its growth and position it as a leader in climate mitigation efforts. The United States must recognize this potential and engage in meaningful partnerships to harness these extensive renewable resources. Given your influential position, now is the time for the US to take a leading role by delivering on its climate commitments and mobilizing other high-income countries to deliver their fair share of climate finance to Africa. The goal of reaching $100 billion annually for 2020-2025 should be prioritized, addressing any shortfalls through increased contributions and delivering a concrete plan for meeting the pledge to double adaptation finance contributions from 2019 levels by 2025.

Long-term U.S. development investments in Africa have benefitted millions of African lives and forged an ongoing partnership between the U.S. and Africa. With the world’s myriad humanitarian crises and domestic budget constraints, we urge the U.S. not to take its eye off continuing and expanding critical support for African global health, education, economic, climate, agriculture, and other programs. We cannot afford to lose progress on the challenges of our time, which not only impact African lives but those all around the world. 

We hope your visit will yield conversations and commitments backed with immediate action to push the continent forward in its development strides. With its rich diversity and potential, Africa looks forward to forging a stronger partnership with the United States in pursuit of a brighter and more sustainable future.

Signed by:

The ONE Campaign

International Climate Change Development Initiative 

Public and Private Development Centre

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA)