Remarks by Ambassador Virginia Palmer in Tech in Ghana
November 28, 2023
-As prepared-
Thanks. It is my pleasure to visit Tech In Ghana for the first time. This is the see and see fact for Ghana’s ICT ecosystem! Congratulations to the Tech in Ghana team and our friends at the British High Commission.
The ability to harness technology will remain a key driver of individual, business, and societal transformation for years to come, and the United States is proud to work with Ghana to support the development of its digital economy and infrastructure.
There is much to celebrate in this vibrant space. Ghana has already established itself as Africa’s hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and fintech innovation. And when it comes to climate-related technology, Ghana is leading the way in West Africa, creating an enabling environment for electric vehicles, charging stations and their supporting technologies.
Ghana has also embarked on a digitization program that is transforming the way government delivers services, creating more transparency and efficiency.
For example, the Ghana Electricity Company’s digitization effort is helping to establish a cashless payment system, reducing revenue leakages. In March, ECG announced that it had increased its monthly revenue by 25% as a result. This is a huge boon to the Ghanaian economy.
In this way and others, digital innovation is playing an important role in improving Ghana’s fiscal governance and aiding its economic recovery.
International trade
The ICT services sector remains one of the growth engines of the Ghanaian economy. And it opens up new spaces for Ghanaian companies to provide cross-border services within the West African region and beyond.
We see this new dimension in our two-way trade with Ghana. App developers, fintechs, database developers, and website designers from Ghana contract to provide these services in the United States. And the same is true in the other direction. We offer expertise in cyberspace, blockchain and cloud computing, for example. These activities create jobs in both our countries.
Digital Transformation with Africa
At the African Leaders Summit in Washington last December, the US government announced the Digital Transformation with Africa, or DTA, initiative.
DTA seeks to expand digital access, literacy and infrastructure across the African continent. It brings together US government resources and private capital to work in three key areas: digital economy and infrastructure. human capital development; and the enabling digital environment.
In addition to the various areas of support we have in Ghana and across Africa to support digital connectivity, this week we have a strong US government team from Washington to Accra from our Departments of State and Commerce and USAID. This team is here to support the goals of the DTA and the important discussions that Ghana is leading at the Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Development.
In addition, our Embassy brought 10 US partners to Tech In Ghana – from leading cybersecurity and blockchain companies, to universities, training and certification partners, to financing experts and international partnerships. They want to meet with all of you and explore areas of cooperation.
Infrastructure
Across Africa, there is a call for investment in infrastructure. This includes digital infrastructure, where the needs are great.
Last month, the Development Finance Corporation announced a major investment in a data center here in Ghana. In addition, the US Trade and Development Agency, “USTDA”, recently reopened an office in Accra. USTDA provides feasibility studies that help mobilize additional capital to finance key ICT infrastructure.
However, we cannot take for granted the progress Ghana has made, thanks in part to large, early investments by companies such as American Towers Corporation.
This infrastructure created the backbone for Ghana’s current digital economy. These existing investors are still here and in some cases significant delays are due for services already provided. Potential future investors – in any country and in any business sector – always look to the treatment of past or current investors when deciding which opportunities to pursue. Thus, the timely completion of outstanding arrears payments will help ensure that Ghana continues to attract the next waves of investment and reinvestment.
As a side note, I would like to note that reinvestment means more than new infrastructure. It also means investing in projects that pay off in the communities in which these companies operate. Just last week, I assisted the American Tower Commission of 19u Ghana-wide digital community center to provide digital literacy education and support among Ghana’s youth population.
Education and training
The critical role of education, training and upskilling comes to my attention again and again.
We saw a huge milestone a few weeks ago – the number of Ghanaian students attending US colleges and universities increased by over 30 percent in the past year, one of the highest increases of any country in the world. STEM and engineering continue to be key areas of study.
And within Ghana itself, BASICs International works to train students on Amazon Web Services and Cisco systems. Lab Four develops curriculum to provide ICT and cybersecurity certifications. Northeastern University partners with the University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi to offer joint degrees. These are just a few examples.
These educational experiences create a lifetime of personal and business collaboration between our countries and companies. Many of you have this lived experience and traverse several international business worlds yourself.
Innovation and international partners of Ghana
What is especially encouraging to me is the international recognition and support that Ghana’s homegrown national champions are receiving from US and international institutions and private sector partners.
For example, in July, Ghana MinoHealth AI Labs received a Global Grand Challenges grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. minoHealth AI will use the grant to continue its pioneering work on the use of artificial intelligence for medical diagnostics, with the goal of bringing better and less expensive healthcare to more Africans.
Ghana leads the rest of us forward. Our partnerships support African solutions to African challenges and opportunities.
In Ghana, there is often so much activity “hiding in plain sight”. Therefore, it is especially pleasant to come to this event, where this activity is no longer hidden, but presented for further development.
I wish you great success over the next two days as you delve into panels of experts to explore emerging tech issues in Ghana and meet to forge partnerships that cement Ghana’s role in the global digital community.
Thanks.