U.S. President Donald Trump will host a summit on July 9 in Washington with five African heads of state, according to a senior White House official. The meeting aims to strengthen trade and investment opportunities between the United States and African nations.
The presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania (the only Arab country represented), and Senegal are expected to attend. The summit will feature discussion sessions and an official luncheon.
The official emphasized that Trump sees Africa as a promising market for shared economic interests, prompting his administration to adopt a new strategy focused on trade partnerships rather than traditional aid.
This move comes after Washington decided to cut a significant portion of its foreign aid to Africa, in line with the “America First” policy aimed at reducing what Trump considers ineffective spending.
In a previous statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would move away from a “charity-based model” in its dealings with Africa, prioritizing countries that show the potential for self-sustained growth.
Troy Fitrell, a senior official in the Bureau of African Affairs, added that U.S. diplomats on the continent will now be assessed based on their success in securing trade deals, as part of the new strategy.
This summit marks the first of its kind in Trump’s second term and reflects a major shift in U.S. policy toward Africa, focusing on maximizing American economic and security interests in the region.
