diff --git a/rss.xml b/rss.xml
index 17f3b87e..2e873551 100644
--- a/rss.xml
+++ b/rss.xml
@@ -8,11 +8,45 @@
The White House Briefing Room
- Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:14:53 -0500
+ Sat, 14 Dec 2024 11:11:32 -0500
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/
+
+
+ FACT SHEET: Celebrating U.S.-Africa Partnership Two Years After the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit
+
+
+ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/14/fact-sheet-celebrating-u-s-africa-partnership-two-years-after-the-2022-u-s-africa-leaders-summit/
+
+
+ Sat, 14 Dec 2024 11:11:32 -0500
+
+
+ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/14/fact-sheet-celebrating-u-s-africa-partnership-two-years-after-the-2022-u-s-africa-leaders-summit/
+
+
+ statements-releases
+
+
+
+
+ Statement from President Joe Biden Marking Twelve Years Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting
+
+
+ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/14/statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-twelve-years-since-the-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting/
+
+
+ Sat, 14 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500
+
+
+ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/14/statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-twelve-years-since-the-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting/
+
+
+ statements-releases
+
+
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at a Toys for Tots Event with Military Families
@@ -489,39 +523,5 @@
statements-releases
</category>
</item>
- <item>
- <title>
- On-the-Record Press Gaggle by White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby
-
-
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2024/12/10/on-the-record-press-gaggle-by-white-house-national-security-communications-advisor-john-kirby-36/
-
-
- Tue, 10 Dec 2024 22:00:00 -0500
-
-
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2024/12/10/on-the-record-press-gaggle-by-white-house-national-security-communications-advisor-john-kirby-36/
-
-
- press-briefings
-
-
-
-
- Remarks by President Biden on His Middle-Out, Bottom-Up Economic Playbook
-
-
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/12/10/remarks-by-president-biden-on-his-middle-out-bottom-up-economic-playbook/
-
-
- Tue, 10 Dec 2024 21:00:00 -0500
-
-
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/12/10/remarks-by-president-biden-on-his-middle-out-bottom-up-economic-playbook/
-
-
- speeches-remarks
-
-
diff --git a/statements-releases/2024-12/2024-12-14-fact-sheet-celebrating-u-s-africa-partnership-two-years-after-the-2022-u-s-africa-leaders-summit.md b/statements-releases/2024-12/2024-12-14-fact-sheet-celebrating-u-s-africa-partnership-two-years-after-the-2022-u-s-africa-leaders-summit.md
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/statements-releases/2024-12/2024-12-14-fact-sheet-celebrating-u-s-africa-partnership-two-years-after-the-2022-u-s-africa-leaders-summit.md
@@ -0,0 +1,849 @@
+---
+date: '2024-12-14'
+modified_time: 2024-12-14 11:11:33-05:00
+published_time: 2024-12-14 11:11:32-05:00
+source_url: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/14/fact-sheet-celebrating-u-s-africa-partnership-two-years-after-the-2022-u-s-africa-leaders-summit/
+tags: statements-releases
+title: "FACT SHEET: Celebrating U.S.-Africa Partnership Two Years After the 2022 U.S.-Africa\
+ \ Leaders\_Summit"
+---
+
+In the two years since the December 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the
+Biden-Harris Administration significantly expanded engagement and
+partnership with African nations, driven by the conviction that the
+future of Africa and the United States depends on what we can achieve
+together. At the Summit, the United States [pledged to invest $55
+billion](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/15/u-s-africa-leaders-summit-strengthening-partnerships-to-meet-shared-priorities/)
+in Africa over three years. We have surpassed that goal – the
+Administration has committed and spent over $65 billion in Africa since
+the Summit. These investments have enabled the Administration, together
+with African partners, to accelerate development progress, advance
+trans-continental infrastructure, expand trade and economic
+opportunities, and support African-led efforts on conservation, climate
+adaptation, and a just energy transition.
+
+But the achievements go beyond numbers, underpinned by our belief that
+solving global challenges requires African leadership and African
+partnership. The United States championed—and ultimately helped
+secure—the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20 and announced
+our support for creating two permanent United Nations (UN) Security
+Council seats for African states. Since the Summit, we have laid out a
+[vision](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/23/the-nairobi-washington-vision/)
+alongside Kenya to help developing countries facing mounting debt
+burdens. Our partnerships enhanced food security and helped build more
+sustainable and resilient food systems, improved governance and
+security, and advanced shared public health goals. We catalyzed
+landmark diaspora-driven engagement, fostered an inclusive and resilient
+African digital ecosystem, and made strides to promote gender equality
+and women’s empowerment.
+
+**High-Level Engagements**
+
+Throughout the Biden-Harris administration, President Biden has
+prioritized high-level engagement with African countries and partners.
+
+Following the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, President Biden
+directed an unprecedented pace of senior-level U.S. Government visits to
+the continent. Twenty Cabinet Members and leaders of U.S. Government
+Departments and Agencies have visited the region since the Summit, with
+visits centered on deepening partnerships with African countries,
+institutions, and people. In March and April 2023, Vice President Harris
+visited Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia, where she announced [more than $8
+billion](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/24/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-announces-public-and-private-sector-commitments-to-advancing-digital-inclusion-in-africa/)
+in public and private sector investment commitments towards climate and
+food security, women’s empowerment, and digital inclusion across
+Africa.
+
+In May 2024, President Biden then
+[hosted](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/23/fact-sheet-kenya-state-visit-to-the-united-states/)
+President Ruto of Kenya for a State Visit and Dinner, the first State
+Visit of an African head of state since 2008. During that visit, which
+highlighted 60 years of official U.S.-Kenyan partnership, President
+Biden announced a slew of deliverables to improve economic opportunities
+for both our peoples, strengthen democratic resilience and safeguard
+human rights, and bolster our work together on a range of pressing
+issues, including climate and health.
+
+In December 2024, President Biden traveled to the continent, becoming
+the first-ever U.S. president to visit Angola and the first sitting
+President to visit sub-Saharan Africa since 2015. During the visit,
+President Biden spoke about the [past horrors of
+slavery](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/12/03/remarks-by-president-biden-honoring-the-past-and-future-of-the-angolan-u-s-relationship-belas-angola/)
+and its legacy, while welcoming a bright future of deepening
+collaboration between the United States and the continent. He announced
+more than [$1
+billion](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/02/fact-sheet-president-bidens-trip-to-angola/)
+in additional humanitarian funding and co-hosted a [Summit on the Lobito
+Trans-Africa
+Corridor](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/03/fact-sheet-partnership-for-global-infrastructure-and-investment-in-the-lobito-trans-africa-corridor/),
+underscoring the importance of private sector investments, inclusive
+economic growth, and sustainable development. One year earlier,
+President Biden had
+[hosted](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/30/readout-of-meeting-between-president-joseph-r-biden-jr-and-president-joao-manuel-goncalves-lourenco-of-angola/)
+President Lourenço of Angola for an Oval Office meeting. President
+Biden’s historic trip to Angola topped off significant engagement with
+the continent throughout the entire Biden-Harris administration.
+
+**Trade and Investment**
+
+The Administration harnessed the dynamism of people from across the
+African continent and throughout the United States to expand prosperity
+on both sides of the Atlantic. In the past two years, the United States
+has supported and helped close **1,385 new deals for a total estimated
+value of $62.6 billion in new two-way trade and investment** between the
+United States and African countries. **This represents a more than
+five-fold increase in the value of closed deals over the two years
+preceding the Summit.** Illustrative highlights of these trade and
+investment initiatives include:
+
+
+1. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has
+ investments of over $13 billion in more than 300 projects across 36
+ countries in Africa. Since the Summit, DFC has committed over $5.3
+ billion to new projects in Africa in key sectors such as energy,
+ healthcare, infrastructure, mineral resources, and support for small
+ businesses.
+2. Since the Summit, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has
+ funded 24 project preparation activities to advance the
+ implementation of over $7 billion in digital connectivity, clean
+ energy, and healthcare infrastructure projects on the continent. In
+ 2024, USTDA arranged 10 reverse trade missions and workshops focused
+ on regulatory convergence for healthcare products, transportation,
+ green hydrogen development, cybersecurity, methane abatement, and
+ sustainable energy, connecting African public and private sector
+ representatives with the latest U.S. technologies, services, and
+ financing solutions.
+3. Since 2022, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has
+ strengthened partnerships across Africa, approving approximately $4
+ billion in authorizations for sub-Saharan Africa. This includes
+ transactions across a wide variety of sectors including two of the
+ largest renewable energy projects in EXIM’s history, aircrafts,
+ civil works infrastructure, and radio equipment.
+4. In fiscal year (FY) 2023, the EXIM Board of Directors approved a
+ $281 million transaction to support the export of several Boeing 737
+ MAX 8 aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines Group. This transaction
+ supported 1,600 U.S. jobs across Indiana, North Carolina, and
+ Washington. In FY 2024, the EXIM Board of Directors approved an
+ additional transaction of more than $456 million for Ethiopian
+ Airlines for the purchase of five Boeing aircraft, supporting an
+ estimated 2,200 new U.S. jobs in North Carolina, Ohio, and
+ Washington.
+5. Since 2022, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has invested
+ almost $2.4 billion through agreements with African partner
+ countries who have demonstrated their commitment to good governance,
+ democratic values, and investing in their people. Funding is
+ expanding energy markets, furthering private sector energy
+ generation, enhancing farmers’ supply chain integration, and
+ improving education access to increase long-term employment
+ opportunities.
+6. Prosper Africa funded and supported several initiatives to boost
+ two-way trade and investment for key markets in Kenya, South Africa,
+ and Morocco, to include the “[Why Kenya, Why
+ Africa](https://ke.usembassy.gov/why-africa-why-kenya-2/)” Roadshow
+ in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, the launch of [Atlanta
+ Phambili](https://za.usembassy.gov/atlanta-phambili-a-gateway-for-u-s-south-africa-partnership/)
+ with South African business and government leaders in Atlanta, and
+ the [U.S.-Morocco Venture Capital
+ Forum](https://ma.usembassy.gov/u-s-mission-morocco-prosper-africa-host-venture-capital-forum/).
+ Prosper Africa also provided technical assistance to Togo-based
+ Caisse Régionale de Refinancement Hypothécaire, supporting a $275
+ million housing deal with Bank of America.
+7. At the Summit, Prosper Africa announced the [Catalytic Investment
+ Facility](https://www.prosperafrica.gov/blog/four-new-african-asset-funds-announced-under-the-prosper-africa-catalytic-investment-facility/),
+ which provides first-loss and operational funding support to 10
+ African asset managers to mobilize $600 million from private
+ investors, to deploy into African tech startups. To date, $93
+ million has been raised by the 10 African asset managers, and $44
+ million has been deployed into 61 startups throughout the
+ continent.
+8. In September 2024, Prosper Africa announced a [catalytic pooled
+ fund](https://www.prosperafrica.gov/news/the-african-venture-philanthropy-alliance-avpa-announces-the-catalytic-pooled-fund-to-expand-social-financing-in-africa/)
+ to drive social investment. In partnership with the Children’s
+ Investment Fund Foundation, and in support of the Africa Venture
+ Philanthropy Alliance, the fund aims to pool $200 million of
+ catalytic capital over the next five years from African and global
+ philanthropies and government donors. This capital is expected to
+ leverage up to $2 billion in private capital.
+9. Prosper Africa provided a $1.275 million grant to the Liquidity and
+ Sustainability Facility (LSF) to cover operational costs of LSF’s
+ work enhancing trading liquidity for African countries and lowering
+ the cost of financing. LSF builds free and transparent capital
+ markets in Africa and provides investors with an investible
+ benchmark for evaluating the performance of African sovereign debt
+ instruments such as the IBoxx LSF USD African Sovereign index, in
+ conjunction with Standard & Poor’s.
+10. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provided 34 small businesses
+ with export financing that supported approximately $185.7 million in
+ export sales involving the African continent from December 2023 to
+ October 2024. Building on the SBA Administrator’s visit to Cote
+ d’Ivoire and Togo in 2023, SBA also undertook new activities in 2024
+ to connect members of the African diaspora in the United States with
+ businesses in both continents.
+11. In [November
+ 2023](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/01/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-african-growth-and-opportunity-act-agoa-reauthorization/)
+ and [July
+ 2024](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/23/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-african-growth-and-opportunity-act-agoa-forum-in-washington-dc/),
+ President Biden reiterated his strong support for the
+ reauthorization and modernization of the African Growth and
+ Opportunity Act (AGOA) to deepen trade relations between the U.S.
+ and Africa, strengthen regional integration, and realize Africa’s
+ immense economic potential. In 2023, AGOA imports totaled $9.7
+ billion and supported tens of thousands of jobs in the United States
+ and Africa.
+
+**Infrastructure**
+
+President Biden’s flagship G7+ initiative, the Partnership for Global
+Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), advances strategic, values-driven,
+and high-standard infrastructure, investment, and sustainable
+development in low- and middle-income countries—with Africa as a key
+continent of focus. At the G7 Summit in June, leaders [celebrated
+progress](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/13/fact-sheet-partnership-for-global-infrastructure-and-investment-at-the-g7-summit-2/)
+toward PGI’s ambitious goal of mobilizing $600 billion by 2027 in global
+infrastructure investments that will make a difference in people’s lives
+around the world, strengthen and diversify our supply chains, and
+advance shared national security interests. During his historic trip to
+Angola December 2-4, President Biden co-hosted a [Summit on the Lobito
+Trans-Africa
+Corridor](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/03/fact-sheet-partnership-for-global-infrastructure-and-investment-in-the-lobito-trans-africa-corridor/),
+bringing together leaders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
+Tanzania, and Zambia, as well as the Africa Finance Corporation.
+Leaders affirmed their commitment to investing in infrastructure that
+will one day connect the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to expand economic
+growth and sustainable development across the region. More information
+on PGI/Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor can be found
+[here](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/03/fact-sheet-partnership-for-global-infrastructure-and-investment-in-the-lobito-trans-africa-corridor/).
+
+**Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and a Just Energy Transition**
+
+Many of the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change are in
+Africa. The Biden-Harris Administration has marshalled unprecedented
+resources to bolster climate resilience and protect development
+progress. During her 2023 trip to the African continent, Vice President
+Harris worked with African partners to galvanize more than [$7
+billion](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/31/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-announces-over-7-billion-in-private-sector-and-u-s-government-commitments-to-promote-climate-resilience-adaptation-and-mitigation-across-africa/)
+in public and private sector climate adaptation, resilience, and
+mitigation commitments. Some of the U.S. initiatives to support
+African-led efforts on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a just
+energy transition include:
+
+1. Since the Summit, DFC has committed over $1.8 billion to new climate
+ focused projects in Africa and also committed over $520 million
+ across 12 new projects in Africa focused on expanding access to
+ power. Notably, DFC provided $500 million in political risk
+ insurance to support marine conversation in Gabon through the Gabon
+ Blue Bonds project, the first DFC-supported debt conversion for
+ impact project in Africa. In Sierra Leone, DFC provided $412
+ million in financing and political risk insurance to support the
+ Nant Energy project, a 105-megawatt thermal power plant that is
+ Sierra Leone’s first gas-to-power plant and will double the
+ country’s energy capacity and address a critical need for the Sierra
+ Leonean people’s access to reliable energy infrastructure. In
+ Mozambique, DFC committed $179 million in debt and political risk
+ insurance to support the development of Central Eléctrica da
+ Namaacha’s 120 megawatt wind power project, the country’s first
+ utility-scale wind power project.
+2. In November 2023, Prosper Africa, the United States Agency for
+ International Development (USAID), and the State Department provided
+ $10 million to seed a $100 million balance sheet under the Green
+ Guarantee Company (GGC), the first-ever privately run guarantee
+ company devoted to catalyzing green bonds and loans focusing on
+ Africa. GGC is expected to unlock an estimated $1 billion in new
+ private capital for climate finance.
+3. In September 2024, Prosper Africa announced a $5 million catalytic
+ capital award to ImpactA Global, aimed at mobilizing $300 million in
+ private investment for sustainable infrastructure in emerging
+ markets. The award serves as first-loss capital designed to reduce
+ investment risk and attract new institutional investors who might
+ otherwise be hesitant to engage in Africa-focused investments.
+4. Bolstering Power Africa, USTDA has invested $5 million to support a
+ just energy transition across several African countries. These
+ investments are supporting solar energy generation in Zambia, wind
+ energy generation in Malawi, strengthening the power grid in Cote
+ d’Ivoire, promoting clean energy in South Africa, and supporting
+ climate innovation through reverse trade missions.
+5. At the Summit, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced its intent
+ to develop a case study in partnership with the Ghanaian Ministry of
+ Energy on integrating nuclear and renewable energy systems. Under
+ the Clean Energy Ministerial, DOE is leading a $300,000 initiative
+ to evaluate the potential roles for nuclear and renewable energy to
+ support Ghanaian energy needs for both electric and non-electric
+ applications. DOE and Ghana also launched Africa’s first regional
+ Clean Energy Training Center in Accra, Ghana, providing courses on
+ large and small modular reactors, financing, contract structures,
+ risk management, and legal issues.
+6. DOE is working with Mozambique on methane mitigation from the gas
+ sector and clean hydrogen development, with Kenya on a $250,000
+ project to examine opportunities for direct air capture combined
+ with geothermal energy, with Nigeria on a $250,000 study supporting
+ their regulatory framework for carbon management, and with Morocco
+ on solar energy. DOE and the Moroccan Research Institute in Solar
+ Energy and New Energies hosted a Solar Decathlon Design Challenge
+ for collegiate teams from across Africa and around the world to
+ design buildings powered by renewable energy.
+7. Under its [Climate Change and Health
+ Initiative](https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fclimateandhealth.nih.gov%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cadaugo.mbagwu-mahlik%40hhs.gov%7C7d6ed495c6fe45ac65b208dcfdc39cab%7Cd58addea50534a808499ba4d944910df%7C0%7C0%7C638664265539782511%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=PP2zUOKkDGJYoLkSRYtxwHE6HWA%2BKnskyfAZw2h2bS0%3D&reserved=0),
+ the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established Exploratory
+ Research Centers that bring together scientists to work with
+ affected communities to build resilience and adapt to climate driven
+ stressors. Three of the centers have focus areas in Kenya,
+ Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. These
+ centers are conducting research on early warning models for vector
+ borne diseases, the effects of extreme weather events on mental
+ health and interpersonal violence, and pilot solutions for climate
+ risks to human health.
+8. At the Summit, the Department of State announced the Accelerating
+ Women’s Empowerment in Energy (AWEE) project to help secure women’s
+ economic futures through green jobs. Since then, the State
+ Department launched AWEE with an initial investment of $1 million.
+ The project has funded 11 small grants to local organizations in
+ South Africa and Kenya to address barriers to the entry, promotion,
+ and retention of women in each country’s clean energy sector.
+
+**Promoting Food Security and Resilient Food Systems**
+
+At the Summit, President Biden launched the [U.S.-African Union (AU)
+Strategic
+Partnership](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/15/fact-sheet-u-s-africa-partnership-to-promote-food-security-and-resilient-food-systems/)
+to accelerate progress in tackling food insecurity, build stronger and
+more diversified food systems and supply chains, scale Africa’s
+agricultural production capacity, and expand African countries’ access
+to agricultural markets. Since the launch of the partnership, we have
+aligned our food security assistance and programming and leveraged our
+convening power and partnerships, including through PGI, to build
+sustainable food systems, expand investments in agricultural
+infrastructure, and tackle trade policy reforms.
+
+1. Since FY 2022, the United States provided nearly $20 billion in
+ life-saving humanitarian assistance and early recovery, risk
+ reduction, and resilience programming in Africa. Humanitarian
+ assistance addresses acute food insecurity caused by conflicts,
+ including Russia’s war in Ukraine and natural disasters, including
+ climate shocks impacting millions of people across the African
+ continent.
+2. Since 2023, MCC has committed over $1.6 billion toward food security
+ initiatives through newly signed or launched programs. These
+ projects are boosting farm productivity and increasing rural incomes
+ by investing in better irrigation methods, increasing production of
+ high-value crops, and improving road conditions.
+3. During his historic trip to Angola, President Biden announced
+ additional humanitarian funding, including more than $200 million to
+ purchase, ship, and distribute surplus agricultural commodities from
+ American farmers to provide life-saving food assistance for refugees
+ and other food-insecure populations in Africa.
+4. Since December 2022, DFC has provided over $180 million to 15 food
+ security focused projects in Africa. These include a $20 million
+ DFC loan to Victory Farms in Kenya to support expansion of
+ sustainable tilapia production on Lake Victoria; a $75 million loan
+ to Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited to finance the
+ development, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a
+ urea-ammonia fertilizer facility in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; and
+ project development technical assistance and loans to Ifria, a
+ developer of cold chain warehouses in Morocco and Senegal.
+5. As part of the U.S. Government’s [Feed the
+ Future](https://www.feedthefuture.gov/) initiative, the global
+ Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) program helps build
+ resilient food systems in partner countries using diverse,
+ nutritious, and climate resilient crops grown in healthy, fertile
+ soils. Since 2023, the United States has donated $150 million and
+ mobilized another $60 million from international partners for VACS
+ programming. Implementing partner organizations include the
+ International Fund for Agricultural Development, the UN Food and
+ Agriculture Organization, and the Consultative Group on
+ International Agricultural Research.
+6. USAID and the AU launched the “Feed the Future Accelerator” in
+ September 2024 with a new commitment, working with Congress, of more
+ than $80 million to deepen food security partnerships in Malawi,
+ Tanzania, and Zambia. U.S. investments will harness the region’s
+ combination of fertile land, diverse farming systems, and
+ highly-motivated governments to support a regional breadbasket.
+ These funds complement a diverse Feed the Future portfolio including
+ over $497 million of ongoing U.S. investments in these three
+ countries, plus more than $150 million in private sector
+ investments.
+7. As part of the larger U.S. Government response to the global food
+ crisis through Feed the Future, USAID and the African Development
+ Bank (AfDB) completed an agreement in January 2024 to fund a $9.5
+ million project—Technologies for African Agricultural
+ Transformation—to help Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia increase
+ food production and introduce climate-smart technologies.
+8. Building on the U.S.-AU Strategic Partnership on Food Security, the
+ United States supported the AU process to refresh the Comprehensive
+ African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) 10-year strategic
+ plan focused on food security and increased agricultural trade.
+ USAID provided analytical work that fed into CAADP Technical Working
+ Groups and submitted an independent memorandum to the AU Commission
+ with recommendations on how to achieve agricultural transformation,
+ wealth creation, food security and nutrition, and economic growth.
+
+**Promoting Peace, Security, and Democratic Governance**
+
+The United States supported peace as the largest single humanitarian
+donor for refugee and migration-related needs in Sub-Saharan Africa,
+working with international organization and NGO partners to support over
+eight million refugees and asylum seekers and over 30 million internally
+displaced persons. President Biden also launched the 21st Century
+Partnership for African Security (21PAS), to expand support to African
+partners with a focus on promoting effective, responsible, and
+accountable defense institutions able to meet the emerging threats of
+our time. At the Summit, the United States reaffirmed its commitment to
+support complex political transitions in Africa through launching the
+African Democratic and Political Transitions (ADAPT) initiative.
+
+1. In FY 2024, the United States, through the State Department’s Bureau
+ of Population, Refugees, and Migration, provided more than $1.37
+ billion in Africa to support urgent and lifesaving needs for
+ refugees, asylum seekers, conflict victims, stateless persons, and
+ vulnerable migrants, including those affected by climate change.
+ Since December 2022, the United States has resettled over 56,000
+ refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa, welcoming them as they build new
+ lives in communities across the United States. The majority of
+ refugees resettled were from the Democratic Republic of Congo,
+ Eritrea, the Republic of South Sudan, Somalia, and Sudan.
+2. The United States, Gabon, Ghana, and Mozambique worked together to
+ successfully authorize UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which
+ outlines a process for the AU to receive UN funding for Peace
+ Support Operations (PSOs). UN Security Council Resolution 2719 is a
+ testament to the U.S. and AU commitment to addressing conflict in
+ the region through African-led solutions. The United States is
+ supportive of the UN and the AU utilizing the Resolution to support
+ PSOs on the continent while working together to ensure that human
+ rights, transparency, and accountability mechanisms are
+ successful.
+3. Through 21PAS, the Department of Defense is focusing on improving
+ the capacity of African partners to plan, resource, and sustain
+ their defense and security forces. 21PAS values partnerships rooted
+ in transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights,
+ recognizing that these values are foundational to lasting security.
+ Using these criteria, the Department of Defense identified a broad
+ array of security cooperation programming totaling $73 million for
+ Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, and countries along the Gulf of Guinea and
+ Western Indian Ocean.
+4. The United States continues to bolster democratic governance through
+ the ADAPT initiative. For example, in Gabon, U.S. technical
+ assistance to government entities, civic groups, media outlets, and
+ women- and youth-focused organizations supports inclusive
+ constitutional and electoral legal reforms and free, fair, and
+ peaceful transitional elections.
+5. Since 2022, USAID, through the Elections and Political Processes
+ Fund, has provided $48.9 million for critical election support in 28
+ countries in Africa for unanticipated needs such as snap elections
+ or other unforeseen political developments. USAID provided an
+ additional $17.4 million through the Defending Democratic Elections
+ Fund to 10 countries to tackle deeply rooted electoral integrity
+ issues, especially during inter-election periods. Through the
+ Women’s Political Participation and Leadership fund, USAID provided
+ $8.36 million in FY 2022 and 2023 to four countries to build and
+ sustain the pipeline of women leaders and facilitate their safe and
+ meaningful participation in political, peacebuilding, and transition
+ processes.
+6. Since 2022, the U.S. Government has dedicated over $181 million
+ through the Prevention and Stabilization Fund to enhance
+ partnerships with Mozambique, Libya, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana,
+ Guinea, and Togo. Efforts focus on 10-year objectives to include
+ promoting reconciliation and unification; accelerating inclusive and
+ sustainable economic development; improving responsive governance
+ and security institutions; promoting respect for human rights;
+ strengthening justice systems; building capacity and resilience in
+ historically marginalized, at-risk, and conflict-affected areas; and
+ advancing meaningful participation of women and youth.
+
+**Deepening Health Cooperation**
+
+The United States works in partnership with African nations and regional
+and global partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and
+its Africa Regional Office (AFRO), the AU, the Africa Centres for
+Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the private sector, to
+save lives and build more resilient health systems that are better able
+to prevent and respond to current and future health threats.
+
+1. The Administration has built on the United States’ longstanding
+ leadership in the fight to end HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria
+ as public health threats, including by investing more than $15.55
+ billion through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
+ (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the Global Fund
+ to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global Fund), and Gavi,
+ the Vaccine Alliance. These investments have reduced the burden of
+ HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and vaccine-preventable diseases and
+ have strengthened health systems in more than 30 countries on the
+ African continent.
+2. Over the past two years, the United States provided more than $3
+ billion in global health funding to support health workers,
+ including funding through PEPFAR to support more than 346,000 health
+ professionals to deliver HIV and tuberculosis services in the past
+ year. PEPFAR is also providing $8 million to support nurses, who
+ are the backbone of patient care, in Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire,
+ Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia. In FY 2024,
+ USAID provided $10 million to support the [Global Health Worker
+ Initiative](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/15/fact-sheet-global-health-worker-initiative-ghwi-year-two-fact-sheet/)
+ to build on the Primary Impact Initiative in countries including
+ Ghana.
+3. PEPFAR has been central to reversing the HIV/AIDS pandemic’s
+ trajectory—in Sub-Saharan Africa, there were 56 percent fewer new
+ HIV infections in 2023 than in 2010. Nine African countries are
+ nearing or achieving the [UNAIDS 2025 global
+ goal](https://aidstargets2025.unaids.org/) that 95 percent of people
+ living with HIV will know their status and benefit from treatment
+ that keeps them healthy and helps prevent further spread, with
+ several more countries on track to reach these goals by the end of
+ 2025.
+4. Since FY 2021, PMI has invested more than $100 million to support
+ 100,000 community health workers across its partner countries to
+ rapidly detect and treat malaria in their communities. These
+ investments in integrated platforms also enable treatment of other
+ common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia, improve
+ the quality and reach of primary health care, and strengthen
+ countries’ ability to prevent, detect, and respond to disease
+ outbreaks.
+5. PMI has supported African manufacturing to promote more resilient
+ and sustainable commodity supply chains. In FY 2023, PMI sourced
+ approximately 10% of its commodity procurements from Africa, more
+ than double what was procured from the continent in FY 2021. From
+ FY 2019 to FY 2023, PMI transitioned from primary reliance on air
+ freight to using sea and land freight to transport malaria
+ commodities, reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas
+ emissions by 85% and generating $66 million in cost savings, which
+ PMI used to expand other malaria-related programs.
+6. In April 2024, the Administration launched the [U.S. Global Health
+ Security
+ Strategy](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/04/16/fact-sheet-biden-%E2%81%A0harris-administration-releases-strategy-to-strengthen-global-health-security/)
+ to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response and welcomed [six
+ new Global Health Security Partners in
+ Africa](https://www.state.gov/united-states-global-health-security-partnerships/where-we-work/).
+ The United States continues working in partnership with African
+ nations to support outbreak responses, including on
+ [Marburg](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/10/07/statement-from-nsc-spokesperson-sean-savett-on-marburg-virus-disease-outbreak/),
+ [mpox](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/09/24/fact-sheet-the-united-states-commitment-to-address-the-global-mpox-outbreak/),
+ Ebola, and cholera.
+7. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of
+ NIH, has been partnering with research agencies and institutions in
+ Africa for decades. Longstanding research programs have enabled
+ collaboration on research responses to emerging and re-emerging
+ infectious diseases.
+8. From 2022 to 2023, the U.S. Government provided more than $22
+ million to support the Government of Uganda’s Ebola response and an
+ additional $7 million to help neighboring countries prepare for
+ potential outbreaks. In 2023, the United States worked with the
+ Governments of Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea and other
+ international partners to address simultaneous but unrelated Marburg
+ virus disease outbreaks, providing over $5.8 million to support key
+ response and prevention efforts. In response to the Marburg virus
+ disease outbreak in Rwanda starting in September 2024, the United
+ States has provided technical support, vaccines, diagnostics,
+ therapeutics, and personal protective equipment and plans to
+ allocate over $11 million regionally to address urgent health
+ needs.
+9. The United States partners with biological laboratories in the
+ public, private, and academic sectors in 20 African countries to
+ provide trainings and assist partner institutions with performing
+ laboratory risk assessments. These partnerships improve biosafety,
+ biosecurity, and cybersecurity. The United States also provides
+ training to technical staff and biomedical engineers responsible for
+ upkeep of laboratory equipment for high containment laboratories.
+10. DFC continues to catalyze investments to strengthen regional
+ manufacturing capacity in Africa, including by providing input into
+ the design of Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator to
+ ensure long-term sustainability of African vaccine manufacturers.
+ Following DFC’s loan of €100 million to Aspen Pharmacare in 2021, in
+ 2024 DFC committed a direct loan of up to €110 million to expand
+ Aspen’s capacity to manufacture pediatric vaccines, insulin, and
+ other essential medicines in South Africa. DFC collaborated with the
+ International Finance Corporation, the German Development Finance
+ Institution, and Proparco to [co-finance expansion of
+ Aspen](https://www.dfc.gov/media/press-releases/dfc-ifc-proparco-and-deg-support-aspen-strengthen-africas-pharmaceutical).
+11. DFC also invests in health services, and technology to improve
+ access to affordable, high-quality health care and products. For
+ example, in 2023 DFC committed a $10 million loan to Hewatele, a
+ medical oxygen manufacturer in Kenya to expand production and
+ distribution of medical oxygen. DFC also provided a $10 million
+ loan guaranty to KCB Bank in Kenya to increase financing available
+ to small and medium enterprises in the health sector.
+12. In December 2022, USTDA launched the Coalition for Healthcare
+ Infrastructure in Africa, a collaboration between USTDA and U.S.
+ industry to help meet the healthcare needs of African partners and
+ to increase access to quality healthcare products and services for
+ millions of individuals across the continent. From November 2023 to
+ July 2024, USTDA hosted three healthcare workshops that convened
+ U.S. and African public and private sector representatives with the
+ aim of strengthening regulatory systems and facilitating broader
+ market access for healthcare products across the continent.
+13. Since 2022, the United States has donated over $50 million to
+ projects in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Rays
+ of Hope initiative, which provides assistance in nuclear and
+ radiation medicine to advance cancer diagnosis and treatment in low-
+ and middle-income countries. In 2024, the United States provided an
+ additional $6 million to Rays of Hope projects in Benin, Chad, the
+ Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Malawi, Niger, and
+ Senegal.
+14. At the Summit, First Lady Jill Biden highlighted the U.S.
+ Government’s unwavering commitment [to improving cancer outcomes in
+ countries in
+ Africa](https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2022/12/14/fact-sheet-cancer-moonshot-announces-new-actions-aimed-to-reduce-the-cancer-burden-in-africa-as-part-of-the-u-s-africa-leaders-summit/).
+ In July 2024, the Biden Cancer Moonshot hosted the White House
+ Africa Cancer Care Forum, which convened health leaders from Benin,
+ DRC, Lesotho, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania,
+ and Zambia committed to expanding national capacity for cancer
+ diagnosis and treatment. During the forum, the United States
+ announced [over $100
+ million](https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2024/07/15/fact-sheet-the-biden-cancer-moonshot-announces-over-100-million-in-new-actions-to-decrease-the-burden-of-cancer-in-africa/)
+ in commitments to reduce the burden of cancer, bringing the
+ collective total to over $400 million.
+15. The U.S.-South Africa Cancer Care and Research Alliance
+ (U.S.-SACCRA) was established in December 2023 to deliver improved
+ health outcomes in Africa, including by reducing the burden of
+ cancer. U.S.-SACCRA partners with several South African academic
+ and research institutions; government departments, and leading U.S.
+ cancer institutes to design, share, and fast-track scientific
+ exchanges and capacity development for cancer care and research in
+ both countries.
+
+**Elevating African Diaspora Engagement**
+
+Since the Summit, the Administration has aimed to harness the dynamism
+of the African Diaspora to enrich lives on both sides of the Atlantic.
+The Administration has strengthened educational, cultural, social,
+political, and economic ties among African communities, the global
+African Diaspora, and the United States. As Vice President Harris said
+during her 2023 trip to the African continent, “The fates of America and
+the continent of Africa are interconnected and interdependent.”
+
+1. In December 2022, President Biden established the [President’s
+ Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States
+ (PAC-ADE)](https://www.state.gov/african-diaspora/) to provide
+ advice on strengthening connections between the U.S. Government and
+ the African Diaspora in the United States. The Council members held
+ their inaugural meeting in October 2023 with Vice President Harris
+ and Secretary Blinken presiding.
+2. Since the Summit, PAC-ADE conducted its first plenary session
+ meeting at Spelman College, and [developed the EdTech initiative
+ announced during Kenyan President Ruto’s visit to Spelman
+ College](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/23/fact-sheet-kenya-state-visit-to-the-united-states/).
+ The Council also conducted its [inaugural
+ visit](https://ng.usembassy.gov/u-s-presidents-advisory-council-on-african-diaspora-engagement-concludes-landmark-visit-to-nigeria/)
+ to the continent in July 2024 to Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria, where
+ they met with government, civil society, and private-sector partners
+ to discuss diaspora-led investments in education, entrepreneurship,
+ health, technology, youth and women empowerment, and the creative
+ industries. The Council held its final meeting of the year in
+ October 2024, with remarks by Assistant to the President, Senior
+ Advisor to the President, and Director of the White House Office of
+ Public Engagement Mayor Steve Benjamin. Several members of the
+ Council joined President Biden on his trip to Angola in December
+ 2024.
+3. In concert with PAC-ADE’s keen focus on increasing business ties
+ with the continent, Prosper Africa has prioritized the support of
+ Diaspora firms and investors, resulting in a portfolio of notable
+ transactions with Diaspora-owned and led firms. These include
+ Cybastion’s partnership with Cisco Systems on over $800 million of
+ cybersecurity and digital upgrade contracts in six countries.
+ Prosper Africa also established active partnerships with leading
+ Diaspora organizations, including joining with USAID to sign a
+ Memorandum of Understanding with the National Alliance for Black
+ Business, an organization founded in 2022 by the National Black
+ Chamber of Commerce, the National Business League, and the World
+ Conference of Mayors.
+4. In addition to PAC-ADE, the U.S. Government is investing in Diaspora
+ engagement through education. The Young African Leaders Initiative
+ (YALI) embodies our investment in our shared future by providing
+ training opportunities for diverse African youth. At the Summit,
+ Vice President Harris announced plans to expand YALI. As part of
+ this expansion, in September 2023, USAID launched the YALI Legacy
+ Localization award to expand the work of the four Regional
+ Leadership Centers on the continent that provide transformative
+ leadership training. In November 2024, the USAID-led YALI Alumni
+ Expo and Trade Show took place in Cape Town, South Africa, where
+ over 500 YALI alumni showcased their innovations and fostered
+ connection with experts and officials from the private sector, civil
+ society, government, and the diaspora community.
+
+**Digital Transformation with Africa**
+
+Launched at the Summit, the [Digital Transformation with Africa
+(DTA)](https://www.state.gov/digital-transformation-with-africa/)
+initiative aims to expand digital access in Africa, increase commercial
+engagement between U.S. and African companies in the digital sector,
+support increased digital literacy, and strengthen digital enabling
+environments across Africa. DTA works in alignment with the priorities
+outlined in the AU’s [Digital Transformation
+Strategy](https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/38507-doc-dts-english.pdf)
+to enable innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth and development.
+DTA’s work is organized across the following three pillars:
+
+*Digital Economy and Infrastructure*
+
+1. In May 2024, Vice President Harris launched [two public-private
+ partnerships](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/24/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-announces-public-and-private-sector-commitments-to-advancing-digital-inclusion-in-africa/)—the
+ Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance: Africa
+ and the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA). Both focus
+ on increasing digital inclusion across Africa. The MADE Alliance
+ aims to provide digital access to critical services for 100 million
+ individuals and businesses in Africa over the next 10 years. PDAA
+ will support African institutions to double the number of people
+ connected to the internet in Africa from 40% to 80%, connect one
+ billion people to the internet by 2030, and increase internet
+ connectivity for women and girls from 30% to 80%.
+2. Since December 2022, USTDA has funded 20 activities to build the
+ business case for innovative U.S. technologies that help to advance
+ inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure across
+ Africa, including priority connectivity, cybersecurity, and smart
+ cities projects. USTDA is leveraging its grant-based funding for
+ project preparation, which mitigates risk and unlocks bankable
+ infrastructure projects.
+3. Prosper Africa leads the Africa Tech for Trade Alliance (AT4T) with
+ the support of USAID. AT4T unites leading American and African tech
+ companies to accelerate e-commerce and digital trade in Africa.
+ Alliance members include Visa, Mastercard, Intel, Cisco, Google, AWS
+ and others. By leveraging U.S. companies’ technology assets,
+ services, and expertise, the alliance fosters U.S.-Africa trade in
+ fintech, ag-tech, eHealth and more.
+4. In April 2024, the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in
+ Africa (PAC-DBIA), the Department of Commerce, and USTDA led a
+ mission to the American Chamber of Commerce Business Summit in
+ Kenya. In Nairobi, they [announced U.S. private sector commitments
+ and
+ collaborations](https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2024/04/during-presidents-advisory-council-doing-business-africa-mission-kenya),
+ including initiatives in data protection, artificial intelligence,
+ digital upskilling, and new investments in digital connectivity,
+ women’s tech leadership, and a cybersecurity experience center.
+
+*Human Capital Development*
+
+1. In May 2024, USAID announced the DTA-YALI Partnership to leverage
+ YALI Regional Leadership Centers to expand digital skills and
+ literacy, support digital entrepreneurs and start-ups, and increase
+ private sector engagement in 49 African countries. USAID is also
+ expanding the “Responsible Computer Challenges” to universities and
+ educators in Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa. This activity aims to
+ empower students to account for the social and ethical context and
+ impact of digital technologies, including frontier technologies such
+ as artificial intelligence.
+2. The Department of State prioritizes biosafety and biosecurity
+ capacity building in Africa. Over the past two years, the State
+ Department has conducted trainings on cyberbiosecurity and secure
+ data sharing to promote safe and timely coordination during outbreak
+ responses. The Department of State has ongoing efforts in practical
+ cyberbiosecurity literacy for high containment laboratories to
+ institutionalize cyberhygiene practices and to build both in-country
+ and regional networks of leaders in cyberbiosecurity.
+3. USAID and MCC are supporting the DigiFemmes program as part of MCC’s
+ $536 million Compact with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.
+ DigiFemmes provides the leadership, innovation, and technical
+ training women need to grow their businesses through data and
+ digital tools. Nearly 9,000 women-owned small and medium
+ enterprises have benefited from the $5.3 million program.
+ DigiFemmes graduates also accessed a total of $525,000 in follow-on
+ funding distributed as small grants by the U.S. African Development
+ Foundation to help refine their products and expand their markets
+ through digital tools and innovations.
+4. In March 2024, MCC and the Government of Togo launched Nanatech, a
+ program designed to equip Togolese women and entrepreneurs with the
+ digital skills they need to benefit from the growing digital
+ economy. To date, nearly 2,000 women and 200 supporting
+ organizations have benefited.
+
+*Digital Enabling Environment*
+
+1. In September 2024, the United States hosted the landmark [Global
+ Inclusivity and Artificial Intelligence:
+ Africa](https://ng.usembassy.gov/united-states-and-african-partners-advance-inclusive-ai-dialogue-at-lagos-conference/)
+ (GIAA) Conference in Lagos, Nigeria, bringing together over 400
+ stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders,
+ civil society members, startup founders, and academics, to discuss
+ the safe, secure, inclusive, and trustworthy deployment of
+ artificial intelligence on the continent. The GIAA conference
+ underscored the growing importance of Africa’s inclusion in
+ artificial intelligence development and the continent’s key role in
+ the global emerging technology landscape.
+2. In November 2024, representatives from the Department of Commerce,
+ Department of State, USAID, and USTDA participated in a variety of
+ engagements during the [Africa Tech
+ Festival](https://africatechfestival.com/) in Cape Town, South
+ Africa. DTA hosted a U.S. Government side event for over 100
+ stakeholders from the U.S. and African public and private sectors to
+ discuss key challenges to expanding digital access, increasing
+ digital literacy, and strengthening digital enabling environments
+ across Africa. Participants discussed innovative U.S. and African
+ solutions and collaborative strategies to advance Africa’s digital
+ transformation.
+3. USAID is working with Afrobarometer, through the United States
+ Institute of Peace, to conduct public surveys to assess public
+ awareness, perception, and understanding of digital threats, online
+ safety, and cybersecurity in Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire,
+ Tanzania, Senegal, and Angola.
+4. USAID continues to facilitate discussions, build capacity, and
+ deliver expert advisory services to the African Continental Free
+ Trade Area Secretariat to develop and implement the Digital Trade
+ Protocol to help advance international and intra-African digital
+ economy and regulatory standards.
+
+**Partnerships in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment**
+
+The Administration has elevated gender equity and equality across our
+foreign policy in Africa and around the world. Societies—including the
+United States—do better when women participate and have equal
+opportunities. Advancing the status of women and girls reduces poverty
+and promotes sustainable economic growth, increases access to education,
+improves health outcomes, advances political stability, and fosters
+democracy. During the Summit, Vice President Harris announced new
+commitments to advance women’s economic participation in Africa,
+including the revitalization of the African Women’s Entrepreneurship
+Program (AWEP).
+
+1. Vice President Harris launched the [Women in Digital Economy Fund
+ (WiDEF)](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/29/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-launches-global-initiatives-on-the-economic-empowerment-of-women-totaling-over-1-billion/)
+ in 2023 to accelerate efforts to close the gender digital divide.
+ WiDEF and the corresponding Women in the Digital Economy Initiative
+ have together catalyzed over $1 billion in commitments from
+ governments, the private sector, foundations, and civil society to
+ accelerate digital gender equality – including $102 million in U.S.
+ direct and aligned commitments. In addition, President Biden
+ secured a historic commitment from G20 leaders to halve the digital
+ gender gap by 2030. Vice President Harris also launched the [Women
+ in the Sustainable Economy
+ Initiative](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/16/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-launches-women-in-the-sustainable-economy-initiative-totaling-over-900-million-in-commitments/)
+ (WISE) in 2023 to promote women’s participation in sectors that
+ address climate change. Together, WiDEF and WISE represent a
+ commitment of over $3 billion, including millions to empower African
+ women and girls.
+2. In July 2024, SBA, Howard University’s Small Business Development
+ Center, AWEP, the State Department, and the Department of Commerce
+ cooperated on an event uniting local and African women-owned
+ businesses on the margins of the 2024 AGOA Forum. The program and
+ marketplace facilitated business networking and an exchange of best
+ practices on inclusive trade and to support for small business
+ partnerships. The event built on SBA’s February 2024 virtual event
+ “Connecting U.S. and West African Small Businesses.”
+3. Over the past two years, DFC has deepened its commitment to
+ advancing economic empowerment across Africa through a range of
+ impactful investments. Key investments include a $100 million loan
+ to First City Monument Bank, Ltd., expanding access to longer-term
+ loans for women-owned small- and medium-sized enterprises in
+ Nigeria; the 2X Ignite Africa Warehousing Facility, providing
+ critical portfolio-building capital to female-led and
+ gender-balanced fund managers; and a $10 million equity investment
+ in Janngo Capital Startup Fund to fuel the growth of African
+ startups, with at least 50% of funding to women-led enterprises.
+ Each of these investments reflects DFC’s dedication to empowering
+ women, driving innovation, and building sustainable pathways for
+ economic independence.
+4. The Department of State, through the Support Her Empowerment-Women’s
+ Inclusion in New Security (SHE WINS) initiative, has invested more
+ than $9 million globally and supported seven women-led and
+ women-serving civil society organizations in Cameroon, the Central
+ African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In August
+ 2024, under the SHE WINS Rapid Response Fund, the United States, in
+ partnership with Norway and Canada, convened a group of Sudanese
+ women civil society leaders to inform discussions on a ceasefire,
+ humanitarian access, and monitoring mechanisms.
+5. Announced during Vice President Harris’ visit to Ghana in 2023, the
+ [Imarisha Women’s
+ Initiative](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/29/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-launches-global-initiatives-on-the-economic-empowerment-of-women-totaling-over-1-billion/)
+ is helping women advance in their careers, improve their skill sets,
+ and increase their income, while creating more flexible and
+ supportive workplaces. The first cohort of four companies in East
+ Africa are providing leadership, mentorship, and skill trainings;
+ menstrual health and hygiene and lactation support; and programs on
+ the prevention of and response to gender-based violence and
+ harassment in the workplace.
+
+\###
diff --git a/statements-releases/2024-12/2024-12-14-statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-twelve-years-since-the-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting.md b/statements-releases/2024-12/2024-12-14-statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-twelve-years-since-the-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b7ec4fb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/statements-releases/2024-12/2024-12-14-statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-twelve-years-since-the-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting.md
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+---
+date: '2024-12-14'
+modified_time: 2024-12-14 09:54:44-05:00
+published_time: 2024-12-14 10:00:00-05:00
+source_url: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/14/statement-from-president-joe-biden-marking-twelve-years-since-the-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting/
+tags: statements-releases
+title: "Statement from President Joe\_Biden Marking Twelve Years Since the Sandy Hook\
+ \ Elementary School\_Shooting"
+---
+
+Twelve years ago today, the community of Newtown, Connecticut, and the
+entire nation were forever changed when twenty innocent children and six
+brave educators were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School by a
+single individual armed with a weapon of war. Jill and I still grieve
+this unimaginable loss and continue to pray for the victims’ families
+and others traumatized by this senseless violence.
+
+Many individuals impacted by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary
+School have turned their pain into purpose. Some families established
+foundations to carry on their loved ones’ memories—others chose to use
+their voices to fight for commonsense gun safety reform, hold the gun
+industry accountable with groundbreaking litigation, and fight back
+against those who spread misinformation and further victimize those
+impacted by gun violence. The elementary school children who survived
+the shooting are now young adults and many of them have also joined the
+effort to reduce gun violence and save lives.
+
+The legacy of this tragedy is one of great loss—but also hope. Twelve
+years ago, moms sitting at their kitchen counters went online, expressed
+their outrage, and organized for commonsense gun safety legislation.
+Congresswoman Gabby Giffords decided enough was enough and started her
+own effort to combat gun violence. Gun violence prevention organizations
+that had been invested in the cause for decades reemerged with renewed
+strength. Today’s gun violence prevention movement is stronger than ever
+before because of survivors and other Americans who saw the Sandy Hook
+shooting and said “enough.”
+
+With the strength of this emboldened movement by our side, we have made
+historic progress to reduce gun violence over the past four years. I
+signed into law the most significant piece of gun safety legislation in
+nearly 30 years. I announced dozens of executive actions to keep guns
+out of dangerous hands and get especially dangerous weapons off our
+streets. I established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence
+Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to accelerate this work.
+After four years under my administration, homicides are down, crime is
+falling, and we are seeing fewer mass shootings. This progress is no
+accident.
+
+Still, more must be done. Congress has an obligation to ‘do something’
+in order to protect our children and communities from this scourge of
+gun violence. We are the only nation experiencing this epidemic and
+there are common sense policies that the majority of Americans agree
+with and that Congress can easily take action on. We need universal
+background checks, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, and a ban
+on assault weapons like the one used at Sandy Hook. I remain hopeful
+that we will continue to make progress on these priorities. This hope is
+rooted in the history of what we have accomplished already and the
+strength of all the survivors of gun violence that I have had the
+privilege of working with during my career.
+
+
+\###