Accompanied by her husband Doug Emhoff, Harris was greeted at the airport by a group of brightly-clad dancers performing traditional welcome dances.
Senior administration officials, previewing her visit, said Harris will be asking the leaders not to ‘choose’ between the U.S. and China – but to ‘expand’ their options.
Before Harris got down to official business, she gave a gracious thanks to Ghana for the welcome and expressed how much of a priority she said Africa is to the U.S.
“What an honor it is to be here in Ghana and on the continent of Africa. I’m very excited about the future of Africa.”
Harris said
Harris added: “We are looking forward to this trip as a further statement of the long and enduring very important relationship and friendship between the people of the United States and those who live on this continent.”
Some of the issues Harris is expected to discuss with Ghanaian officials include economic growth, food security and innovation, all of which she said she wanted to “witness firsthand” while she is there.
On Tuesday, Harris is scheduled to deliver a high-profile public address at Black Star Square, a historic location in Accra that is typically where events like military parades take place.
Later the same day, Harris is expected to visit Cape Coast Castle, the place in Ghana where shackled Africans were held in squalid dungeons before being shipped off into slavery in the U.S. and elsewhere.
