H.R. 4610 — BRIDGE Africa Act

This section expresses the sense of Congress that (1) African countries are experiencing rapid growth in entrepreneurship, technology and artificial intelligence research and development, and innovation investments; (2) the United States should support this growth through public and private investments; (3) such investments advance U.S. soft power diplomacy and mutual progress; (4) they enable cultural and educational exchanges; (5) they promote culturally responsive artificial intelligence with global applications; (6) they aid counterterrorism through enhanced tech ecosystems; and (7) they strengthen trade and U.S. exports in sectors such as telecommunications and cloud infrastructure.

This section directs the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretaries of Defense and the Treasury and in consultation with the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than one year after enactment, a strategy to increase cooperation with allies and partners in Africa to identify and support investments, entrepreneurship pathways, and partnerships in advanced technology and artificial intelligence in finance, agriculture, health, energy, and education. The strategy must include (1) an analysis of how investments in technology and innovation entrepreneurship can improve regional security and combat terrorist networks; (2) ways to support African businesses and entrepreneurs, including through joint research between U.S. institutions of higher education and universities in covered countries, digital skills training, cybersecurity training, and intellectual property education; (3) an assessment of economic barriers to U.S. investment in African technology and innovation; (4) areas for U.S. persons and government partnerships with covered countries to increase African or allied investment in advanced technology and AI founders, investors, talent, research, and testing; (5) barriers to entrepreneurship in Africa related to advanced technology and AI, including business startup costs, government policies, and microeconomic conditions; (6) means to facilitate growth, such as entrepreneurship training, business model education, financial support, networking, and legislative changes; (7) suitable federal agencies to implement the strategy, including the Development Finance Corporation; and (8) an analysis of how such investments can support national security objectives against malign state and nonstate actors in Africa.

This section directs the Secretary of State, not later than one year after enactment, to convene in Africa a summit with representatives of U.S. allies and partners to coordinate on the strategy required by section 3 (if not finalized) and its implementation, covering (1) areas of interest in technology and innovation, (2) integration of resources, (3) investment opportunities, (4) opportunities for African countries to coordinate with the United States on the strategy, and (5) implementation challenges. The summit is to occur in a country selected by the Secretary of State in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and the Treasury, the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, and representatives of the host country; the Secretary of State may invite heads of state, officials from defense, foreign relations, commerce, and treasury agencies, subject matter experts, artificial intelligence and advanced technology entrepreneurs, government development board representatives, and others from covered countries and U.S. partners outside Africa. Not later than 180 days after the summit, the Secretary of State must submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report analyzing the summit's outcomes (including successes and areas for improvement), assessing the appropriateness of reconvening it (with proposed timeframe and potential for recurrence), detailing findings on increasing investment in Africa's technology industry, and providing any other relevant information.

This section establishes definitions for terms used in the Act, including (1) advanced technology, as any technology that supports the development of products, services, or processes that are innovative and not widely used; (2) appropriate congressional committees, as specified committees in the House (Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space, and Technology) and Senate (Armed Services, Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Foreign Relations); (3) artificial intelligence, having the meaning given in 15 U.S.C. 9401; (4) covered country, comprising Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia, and any other regional U.S. ally or partner determined appropriate by the Secretaries of State, Defense, or the Treasury; (5) critical technologies, having the meaning given in 50 U.S.C. 4565(a)(6)(A); and (6) United States person, having the meaning given in 22 U.S.C. 8511.