U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host the presidents of five African nations for a working lunch at the White House on Wednesday, with discussions expected to focus on trade, investment, and regional security.
The leaders of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon—all countries situated along Africa’s Atlantic coast—will meet at Trump’s invitation in the White House’s State Dining Room.
While officials from the invited nations have signaled their priorities for the meeting, the White House has released few specifics about the agenda.
“Our interest is to look more to trade and engagement partners who will invest,” said Kula Fofana, Press Secretary to Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai, adding that Liberia is aiming to move beyond the role of “solely [an] aid recipient.”
The meeting comes amid a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration, which recently marked the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), describing the move as a departure from a “charity-based model” toward one of economic engagement.
Gabon’s presidential spokesman, Theophane Biyoghe, described the gathering as an opportunity to explore economic synergies “centred around the industrialisation of our economy.”
The talks also arrive at a time of increasing geopolitical competition in Africa. China and Russia have expanded their influence across the continent through major investments and security cooperation. Russia, for example, has thrown its support behind the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—a bloc consisting of junta-led Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—which borders several of the countries attending Wednesday’s meeting.
Security concerns are likely to feature prominently in discussions. In April, Guinea-Bissau handed over four convicted Latin American drug traffickers to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The country has long served as a key transit hub for cocaine shipments from Latin America to Europe.
“Economically, this is a great opportunity opening for us,” Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo told reporters prior to his departure for Washington, expressing hope that his nation might benefit from U.S. support similar to that extended to other partners.
Despite the high-profile nature of the visit, no public press appearances are scheduled for the African leaders, in contrast to previous visits by world leaders that sometimes turned controversial.
Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were each caught in uncomfortable diplomatic moments during past visits with Trump.
At a press briefing Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed only that Trump would “host leaders of five African nations for lunch” without providing further details.
Notably, Gabon, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal are among 36 countries reportedly being considered for inclusion in a proposed U.S. travel ban, according to a recent internal administration memo.
AFP
