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I have to be honest. I really don't understand why the U.S. invested the funds. To strengthen relations? What does that mean?

Really scratching my head on this one. All the 'aid' directed at this one country could have gone to any other or even the U.S. itself. What was the real reason for this country in particular?

If a friend gave me a milliom dollars, I'd be like, dude coming over tonight? Money buys friendships

I see what you're saying but imo money buys fake friends. When that money stops flowin they get goin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Ghana

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Hi, I used to do contract work with USAID in Ghana!

Since as far back as the Bush Jr admin, West Africa has been a focus of US foreign policy. Basically, West African countries want to develop a manufacturing sector, but lack the capital to do so. They have a hugely well educated population, but not nearly enough jobs. Meanwhile, the US wants to stop relying on China for things like textiles (China is geopolitically "complicated", labor costs are rising there, and the physical distance to ship from East Asia is much much longer than the distance to West Africa), and has tons of capital at its disposal. Thus, the two have found a common interest to jointly pursue. The Bush Jr administration made West Africa a special free trade zone, eliminating tariffs and encouraged US companies to invest in manufacturing there.

In Ghana for example, the money that USAID invests goes to many things: it helps to subsidize economic initiatives by the Ghanaian government to build infrastructure (roads, ports), manufacturing (textiles), upgrading agriculture (Ghana produces a huge amount of the world's chocolate!), and modernizing its medical sector (out in the countryside it was basically non-existent when I got there). I would imagine that this new investment of money will go towards bolstering some combination of those things.

As to what's in it for the US, it is trying to build good will and soft power in Africa in a geopolitical chess match with China, who is trying to do the same thing. The people of West Africa, as well as other parts of Africa, generally (but not always!) benefit from this competition, as the two Great Powers compete to essentially buy the loyalties of African governments and people ($139Mm is a drop in the bucket in the US, but it goes a long long way in a place like Ghana). China has generally been more successful with this effort, but Ghana is a specific example of a country the US has built a strong relationship with.

How much did Ghana invest to "Strengthen the bilateral relationship?"

I agree, China does want to take over Africa, but it just does not seem like we should be building roads and i infrastructure in other countries like that. We are not the daddy of the planet, and we need to let those countries get themselves together. As the other post said, we're e not "buying" loyalty, we're only renting it for the present. The roads and bridges were building will last for many, many decades longer.

>it just does not seem like we should be building roads and i infrastructure in other countries like that. We are not the daddy of the planet, and we need to let those countries get themselves together.

It's not about being a daddy, it's about building relationships. Ghana needs capital for development, we need friends in Africa. It's not about paternalism, it's about helping each other achieve goals.

>we're e not "buying" loyalty, we're only renting it for the present.

This process is also known as "diplomacy." It's how all international relationships work and how they have always worked.

I don't know how to describe this response. Detailed, easy to read, friendly, informative, and much more.

I'll have to read that article a bit slower and check out some mini-docs on YouTube. Your response is much appreciated:)

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