Building Resilient Innovation, Digital Growth, and Entrepreneurship with Africa Act

countries across Africa are experiencing rapid growth in entrepreneurship, research and development in technology and artificial intelligence, and investments in innovation that have the potential to reshape economies and transform Africa’s future by unlocking new levels of innovation and social development;

the United States should play a role in supporting this phenomenon through both private and public investments and finding solutions for potential challenges to investment opportunities;

investing in the African continent’s technological and entrepreneurial growth is beneficial for soft power diplomacy by building meaningful partnerships rooted in long-term mutual progress and shared values;

deeper collaboration opens opportunities for additional cultural and educational exchanges, becoming a potentially powerful tool for building enduring relationships;

investing in artificial intelligence that is responsive to Africa’s diversity of ethnicities, languages, and culture can create substantial breakthroughs for other diverse regions, including in South America and the Indo-Pacific;

United States investments in African technology and AI can play a strategic role in counterterrorism efforts by supporting the development of tech ecosystems, which can enhance surveillance capabilities, improve data analysis, and strengthen cybersecurity infrastructure; and

contributing to these areas of growth additionally strengthens trade and can increase United States exports in relevant industries such as telecommunications and cloud infrastructure.

In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Treasury, and in consultation with the Commander of the United States Africa Command, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy to increase cooperation with allies and partners in Africa to identify and to support new opportunities, investments, entrepreneurship pathways, and partnerships with respect to the development of advanced technology and artificial intelligence, including in the areas of finance, agriculture, health, energy, and education.

Contents— The strategy required in subsection (a) shall include the following:

In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall convene a summit with representatives of countries that are allies and partners of the United States for the purpose of coordinating on the contents of the strategy required by section 3 (if such strategy has not been finalized) and implementation of such strategy, including—

Location— The summit required by this section shall take place in Africa, in a country determined by the Secretary of State in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Commander of the United States Africa Command, and representatives of such country.

Participants— The Secretary of State may invite representatives from covered countries and countries that are partners and allies of the United States outside of Africa to participate in the summit required by this section, including the following:

Report— Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of the summit required by this section, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes the following:

Advanced technology— The term advanced technology means any technology that supports the development of products, services, or processes that are innovative and not widely used.

Appropriate congressional committees— The term appropriate congressional committees means—

Artificial intelligence— The term artificial intelligence has the meaning given such term in section 5002 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9401).

Covered country— The term covered country means the following:

Critical technologies— The term critical technologies has the meaning given such term in section 721(a)(6)(A) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565(a)(6)(A)).

United States person— The term United States person has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8511).