During a trip to Lusaka, Zambia, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called on the private sector to enhance African climate resilience and sustainability. In response, private companies have committed over USD 7 billion in new investments targeting adaptation, mitigation and clean energy access. This was announced via an official release by the United States government. 

Furthermore, the U.S. government also announced new federal funding and initiatives to expand climate information services and resilience training for African nations disproportionately harmed by climate impacts. These efforts are expected to benefit over 116 million farmers through climate-smart agriculture programmes.

The White House stated that these combined public and private efforts demonstrate America’s commitment to partnering with African leaders and communities to address urgent needs resulting from the climate crisis, like food insecurity. They underscore the Biden administration’s strategy of building coalitions between U.S. agencies, African governments, civil society groups and businesses to tackle entrenched challenges exacerbated by the climate emergency.

The goal is to support African nations pursuing adaptation, clean energy and just transition goals despite their historically low contributions to factors driving global warming. Collaborative investment and action are vital to averting humanitarian disasters and instability from the continent’s mounting climate vulnerability.

As part of her call for the private sector to promote climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation across Africa, the Vice President announced 27 private sector and philanthropic commitments to support farmers, climate-smart agriculture, sustainability, clean energy, and clean transportation. Also, to speed up the execution of the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE), targeting over half a billion individuals in developing nations to cope with and address climate change effects, the Biden-Harris Administration unveiled specific initiatives. These initiatives highlight the pressing need to enhance climate resilience throughout Africa and expand on the Vice President’s prior announcements concerning climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation in Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Check here for more information regarding the specific commitment from the government and private sector players.