Trump to host leaders of five African nations to boost trade and investment

US President Donald Trump will host leaders from five African nations in Washington next week for talks aimed at deepening commercial ties and exploring new business opportunities, a White House official announced on July 2.

The meeting, scheduled for July 9 at the White House, will bring together the heads of state from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal for discussions followed by a working lunch, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“President Trump believes that African countries present tremendous commercial opportunities that can benefit both the American people and our African partners,” the official said, explaining the motivation behind the meeting.

Since returning to office, the Trump administration has significantly scaled back US foreign aid to Africa, part of a broader strategy to reduce what it views as unnecessary spending inconsistent with Trump’s “America First” agenda. The administration insists that its focus is on fostering trade, investment, and shared prosperity instead of maintaining what it perceives as an outdated charity-based approach.

Underscoring this policy shift, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on July 1 that the United States is moving away from traditional aid models, emphasising that future support will prioritise countries that show “both the ability and willingness to help themselves.”

The new direction is also reflected in the way US diplomats on the continent are now being evaluated. In May, Troy Fitrel, the senior official in the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, explained that US envoys in Africa will be assessed based on the commercial agreements and business deals they help secure, signalling a clear pivot towards economic diplomacy.

The upcoming meeting follows a recent wave of US engagement in African affairs, including a ceasefire agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, brokered by Washington and signed at the White House last week.

The July 9 gathering is seen by some observers as an effort to build on this diplomatic momentum ahead of a broader US-Africa summit planned for September in New York.

By Tamilla Hasanova