By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The United States Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen will on Tuesday Jan. 17 commence a three-nation visit to Africa which will cover Senegal, Zambia and South Africa, and last till 28, 2023.
“While in Africa, Secretary Yellen will highlight the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to deepen US-Africa economic ties, including by expanding trade and investment flows and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” the US Treasury Department said on Friday.
Yellen’s itinerary first stop will be Senegal, a senior US Treasury official announced.
“During her travel, the Secretary will also underscore the spillover effects of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, which have disproportionately hurt developing countries in Africa and globally.
“The Secretary will note the steps the US has taken to boost food security, including through over US$13,5 billion in assistance, a call for international financial institutions to develop and implement an Action Plan to Address Food Insecurity and new support to the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program,” senior treasury officials said.
At the December US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington DC, Yellen met with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and President Macky Sall of Senegal and the chairperson of the African Union seperately.
Yellen during his visit to Zambia on January 23 apart from meeting Hichilema, will also meet Minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane and the Governor of the Bank of Zambia, Denny H Kalyalya
Part of the focus on this segment of the itinerary will be to “promote climate-resilient agriculture and food production, as well as to mitigate the global spillover effects of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine”.
On January 24, Yellen will be in South Africa for bilateral meetings “including with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, and the South Africa Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago.”
