The United States and the African Union have launched a Strategic Infrastructure and Investment Working Group aimed at deepening economic cooperation, mobilising capital, and accelerating trade and infrastructure development across the continent.
The new body, known as the Strategic Infrastructure and Investment Working Group, is designed to coordinate public and private investment efforts between the U.S. and Africa, with a strong focus on bankable infrastructure projects, supply chains, and industrial development. The initiative brings together senior officials from the U.S. government, the African Union Commission, development finance institutions, and private sector stakeholders.
The working group is expected to prioritise transport, energy, digital infrastructure, and logistics, areas widely seen as critical bottlenecks to intra-African trade and broader economic growth. It will also support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area by helping to unlock financing for cross-border projects that improve connectivity and reduce trade costs.
According to sources, the initiative builds on existing U.S.–Africa frameworks, including the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and Prosper Africa, but introduces a more structured platform for aligning African priorities with U.S. investment tools. The goal is to move beyond pledges toward execution by identifying projects early, addressing regulatory and financing gaps, and crowding in private capital.
African Union officials have described the working group as a practical step toward shifting Africa–U.S. relations from aid-driven engagement to investment-led partnerships. By strengthening project preparation and coordination, the group is expected to improve the quality and speed of infrastructure delivery while supporting job creation and industrial growth across member states.
U.S. officials, according to sources, see the move as part of a broader strategy to expand economic ties with Africa, counter supply chain vulnerabilities, and support sustainable development while promoting transparent, high-standard investment practices.
The Strategic Infrastructure and Investment Working Group is expected to begin technical engagements in the coming months, with initial outcomes focused on project pipelines, financing mechanisms, and policy alignment between Washington and the African Union.
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