Biden-Harris Trade and Investment Blog.

  Wow, this is huge news! At The Summit for Democracy2023, 45 governments have come together to endorse new Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies . As a tech enthusiast and privacy advocate, I'm thrilled to see that governments are taking steps to prevent the misuse of surveillance technologies and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Governments around the world have been increasingly using surveillance technologies to monitor their citizens . While some may argue that it is necessary to protect national security and public safety , these technologies have been misused time and again to violate human rights and restrict access to information. In the worst cases, governments have employed these technologies as part of a broad state apparatus of oppression. The use of surveillance technologies has been a contentious issue for many years, and it has become more urgent as technology advances and governments become more adept at using it to contr...

  Biden has tapped co-hosts on each continent, including the presidents of Zambia, Costa Rica, and South Korea, and the prime minister of The Netherlands. In total, 121 leaders have been invited to the mostly virtual summit. Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia, whose president, Hakainde Hichilema , has been held up by Washington as a model of democracy and will hold his own events as a summit co-host. By Staff Writer.

  US President Biden has shunned many original actors and invited more African countries and Honduras. This shows the importance of promoting democratic values in regions that are often neglected. Partnering for Democracy: New Approaches for Reform include supporting electoral systems, enhancing transparency and accountability, and promoting human rights and the rule of law . By Staff.

  U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she arrives at Black Star square to address young people in Accra, Ghana, March 28, 2023. As the world continues to face threats to democracy, the United States has taken the lead by hosting the 2nd Summit for Democracy 2023 , a three-day virtual event that aims to strengthen democratic institutions and values across the globe. President Joe Biden has made good on his campaign pledge to create a united front against authoritarianism, especially as Russia attacks Ukraine and China launches a diplomatic offensive. The summit opened with a virtual conversation on peace in Ukraine featuring President Volodymyr Zelensky , providing multi-year support to countries that demonstrate sustained democratic progress. Notably, some countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey have not been invited to the summit. Instead, Biden has invited more African countries and Honduras, which shows the US's commitment to promoting democracy in regions where i...

West Africa: A New U.S. Plan to Avert Wider Conflicts in the Region. President Biden recently announced a 10-year plan to implement the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability in partnership with Haiti, Libya, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, and Coastal West Africa, including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo. The plan represents a significant shift in the United States' approach to global peace and security and seeks to address the persistent but changing dynamics of fragility, conflict, and violence in these regions.   Rethinking Foreign Policy To implement the plan effectively, the United States will need to engage selectively based on defined metrics, the host country's political will, respect for democracy and human rights, defined cost-sharing, and mechanisms that promote mutual accountability with national and local actors. As President Biden stated, "We need to rethink how we do foreign policy. We have to focus on preventing conflict...

  Vice President Harris, will visit Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia later this month. US Secretary Blinken reiterates commitment to Africa during Ethiopia visit Recently, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ethiopia and Niger as part of President Biden's pledge to be "all in on Africa and all in with Africa." The United States has committed to deep, responsive, and genuine partnerships with the continent to solve shared challenges and deliver on the fundamental aspirations of its people. The US administration's focus on Africa is crucial, as it is home to some of the world's most vulnerable communities that are facing a multitude of challenges, including food insecurity, climate change, and conflict. US administration's focus on Africa: Challenges and Solutions To address this challenge, the United States invested $13.5 billion to reduce acute and chronic hunger worldwide, largely in Africa. Immediate interventions like the Black Sea Grain Initiative ...