Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves concluded his trip to West Africa, where he spoke with the governments of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana and at key events to drive investment and create opportunities for American businesses in Africa.
Graves is the highest-ranking official to visit West Africa since the beginning of the Biden-Harris administration, according to a June 22 release.
“Despite the overwhelming presence of women among Africa’s entrepreneurship base, women’s business performance in terms of wages paid, longevity and profits fall below that of their male counterparts,” Graves said, according to the release.
Graves said he was visiting West Africa to reinforce the message from President Joe Biden that the U.S. is committed to being a strong, long-term and stable partner in their economic development, the release reported.
“We share a common vision for a prosperous future that will result in a more equitable and accessible global economy,” he said in the release.
Graves said the future holds much for the U.S. and Africa. He intends to leverage the knowledge he gained from meetings with President Alassane Ouattara, Prime Minister Patrick Achi, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, his Ivoirian and Ghanaian counterparts and private sector partners “to inform our ongoing collaboration and contribute to successful future ventures that will enhance our commercial partnerships across the continent,” the release reported.
