Written Statement of Dr. Monde Muyangwa, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Africa, before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa
Chairman James, Ranking Member Jacobs, distinguished members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify about the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Budget Request, and its importance for USAID’s foreign assistance programming across sub-Saharan Africa. I would like to extend a special thank you to this Committee and your colleagues in Congress, whose long-time bipartisan commitment to the people of the African continent has provided the foundation for USAID programs and the springboard for their success.
Africa is home to some of the fastest growing markets in the world. It also has one of the world’s fastest growing populations – by 2050, one in four people will be African. It also has the world’s largest population of young people – the median age on the continent of Africa is 19. This is a generation of young people who have the power to drive economic growth and build a more equitable future for their communities.
As you all know, the United States has long been a partner to African countries, and for the past 60 years, USAID investments have helped countries across Africa deliver extraordinary progress. We have helped lift 700 million people from extreme poverty since 1990; dramatically reduced deaths from HIV and malaria; stopped Ebola in its tracks and built stronger pandemic preparedness and response capabilities through the Global Health Security Agenda.
This budget request complements the U.S. Strategy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa and our proposed investments reinforce our belief that the continent is both a major geopolitical force and that the future of the United States and the future of the African continent are inextricably linked. Overall, the $8 billion FY 2024 joint State-USAID request advances peace and security efforts to build more stable, inclusive African economies; increases mutually beneficial economic growth for the United States and African countries; revitalizes democracies and champions human rights; builds Africa’s resilience to post pandemic challenges; and continues our support to joint priorities identified at the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders' Summit.
Advance Peace and Security
According to the Fund for Peace’s Fragile States Index, 11 of the 15 most fragile states are located in sub-Saharan Africa. While African countries have intensified domestic and regional efforts to address conflicts and to counter terrorism and transnational threats, the United States remains a key partner in strengthening regional stability. Through implementation of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability in coastal West Africa and in Mozambique, the United States government is working closely with host country government partners, civil society, and other donors to reduce drivers of instability and violent extremism.
The President’s Request includes $388.1 million to support the Administration’s interagency Sahel Regional Strategy. This strategy supports Sahel countries' work to curb growing instability in the region and addresses the long-standing crisis of state authority. Our support will also address humanitarian needs and human rights, and advance women's leadership in preventing and resolving conflict. The $285.6 million request for Somalia prioritizes targeted increases for rule of law and good governance efforts that will help to restore trust, promote social cohesion, and provide access to critical services.
Increase Mutually Beneficial Economic Growth, Trade, and Investment
Africa is poised to play a pivotal role in the global economy. U.S. investments in African countries expand their economic growth potential, reduce poverty and hunger, create jobs, and provide resources and human capital to expand markets and social services.
Looking ahead to FY 2024, the request of $100 million for Prosper Africa will expand catalytic services that increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa exponentially, further strengthening our strategic economic partnership. By facilitating investment and trade flows that reach strategic scale, Prosper Africa will diversify global supply chains, build physical and digital infrastructure, and otherwise advance solutions to climate shocks and food insecurity. Since Prosper Africa’s launch in June 2019, the U.S. government has helped close more than 1,100 deals across 49 countries for a total estimated value of $65 billion. The request will mobilize billions of dollars in private investment for Africa’s sustainable growth, while helping to create thousands of jobs for both African and American workers. It will expand market linkages for buyers and sellers able to take advantage of trade incentives under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area. In addition, the regional trade programs request of $27 million will boost intraregional trade and investment through targeted assistance to African businesses, entrepreneurs, and partner governments across East, West, and Southern Africa.
Turning to Power Africa, which marks its 10-year anniversary this year, the initiative has closed 145 transactions and facilitated access to electricity for more than 172 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. The $100 million request will accelerate efforts to increase electricity generation capacity in sub-Saharan Africa in support of the Electrify Africa Act. Power Africa will expand work with partners to develop and finance cleaner and renewable energy projects, connect critical transmission lines, improve the efficiency and bankability of energy systems, and promote enabling environment reforms to attract and sustain long-term private sector investment across clean energy markets.
Strengthen Democracy
The President’s Request prioritizes engagement with African partners to promote democratic ideals, address democratic deficiencies, and foster legitimate, transparent, and inclusive political systems that respond to citizens’ needs. Although there have been some gains in democracy and institution building in sub-Saharan Africa, these gains are fragile, and backsliding is pervasive. Women, LGBTQI+ persons, persons with disabilities, and members of other systemically marginalized populations have experienced increased abuses, and lack adequate and meaningful political representation. In many countries, corruption is endemic, state institutions are weak, and civil society faces restricted civic and political space.
The $436.3 million democracy request will provide critical resources to support democratic openings. We will build on USAID’s new Democracy Delivers Initiative, a strategy intended to bolster countries experiencing windows of democratic opportunity. In countries such as Tanzania, Zambia, and Malawi, this support is vital to sustain democratic transitions and consolidate gains that demonstrate progress and improvement in peoples’ lives. The request prioritizes assistance to civil society, and the development of strong, accountable, and democratic institutions sustained by their commitment to the rule of law and greater inclusion of marginalized persons.
Presidential Initiatives
The President’s Request also includes two initiatives announced during December 2022 as part of the U.S.-Africa Leaders' Summit – the African Democratic and Political Transitions (ADAPT) Initiative and the Digital Transformation with Africa Initiative. A $25 million request for ADAPT will enable the U.S. government to more effectively partner with regional bodies, governments, and civil society to support successful democratic transitions. It will advance the Administration’s commitment to engage with complex political transitions in Africa and provide U.S. government support to emerging democratic governments and civil society at critical moments. The request of $50 million will fund the Digital Transformation with Africa Initiative – helping expand affordable and inclusive digital connectivity, build digital resilience, and improve the livelihoods and economic well-being of Africans through digital technologies.
Build Africa’s Resilience to Post-Pandemic Challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic impeded Africa’s growth and realization of its full potential. The pandemic was especially detrimental for countries and communities who were already struggling to access quality health services, including women and children in many countries. The COVID-19 pandemic increased food insecurity and malnutrition, gender-based violence and child marriage, and hindered access to health services and education opportunities. These disruptions led to the first decline in life expectancy globally in nearly a decade as many countries shifted their health systems to emergency response mode and were unable to meet ongoing health needs, like routine childhood vaccination. In response, the President’s FY 2024 Budget Request prioritizes investments in restoring access to essential health services – from childhood immunization to ending the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria epidemics, to building stronger pandemic preparedness and response capacities around the world. The President’s FY 2024 Budget Request also includes an ongoing investment in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), to continue progress toward ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. To achieve this goal, we ask for strong bipartisan support for a clean date change PEPFAR reauthorization before it expires at the end of September.
The President’s FY 2024 Request prioritizes the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future, as the primary tool for addressing chronic hunger and undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Feed the Future catalyzes agriculture-led growth and improves nutritional status by enhancing agricultural productivity, increasing economic resilience in vulnerable communities, and expanding access to markets and trade for smallholder farmers, especially women. The FY 2024 Budget Request of $487.5 million for food security increases funding support and aligns resources for the eight new Feed the Future focus expansion countries in Africa to reduce hunger and malnutrition across the continent.
In addition, U.S. assistance will help ensure that African countries can adapt to severe weather and other shocks and conserve biodiversity, while growing their economies and using natural resources and human capital in a socially equitable, inclusive, and sustainable manner.
We will prioritize the prevention of maternal and child deaths, control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and strengthening of global health security through collaboration with partners. The President’s Request of $5.7 billion for global health in sub-Saharan Africa, including life-saving PEPFAR programs, will continue our robust local and multilateral partnerships, including with the private sector, to strengthen health systems to provide essential services; prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks; and promote innovation and research.
U.S. assistance prioritizes equitable access to education and improving learning outcomes for children and youth. Strengthening systems, leveraging partnerships and resources, using data and evidence, and engaging local institutions to improve the quality of basic education, vocational training, and higher education is needed to reach our intended development outcomes, particularly with the continent’s growing youth population. The President’s Request of $20 million for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) will scale and sustain training and expand partner engagement. We will continue to provide robust opportunities for YALI alumni through transformational leadership training, networking, and professional development.
Conclusion
The President’s FY 2024 Budget Request demonstrates our renewed commitment to partnerships between the United States and African countries, institutions, and people. This request, coupled with the resources provided by Congress to date, will allow for USAID, alongside our partners, to continue our shared commitment to Africa’s future. Again, on behalf of USAID’s Africa Bureau, I appreciate your longstanding bipartisan commitment to the African continent. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today, and I look forward to answering your questions.
