US President Donald Trump will host the leaders of five West and Central African countries at the White House on Wednesday at the start of an unprecedented two-day summit. Trade, investment and security are expected to top the agenda as Washington pivots away from foreign development aid.
The presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon – all Atlantic coast nations – are meeting at Trump’s invitation.
While the White House has disclosed few details, a senior US official said the aim is to foster “open dialogue” and to “listen to [Africa’s] concerns and priorities”, with the goal of promoting private sector investment and deeper economic partnerships.
Though lacking the mineral wealth of nations like the Democratic Republic of Congo, the invited countries possess underexploited resources – such as Gabon’s manganese and uranium – that have drawn Washington’s interest.
In return, Trump may offer enhanced security cooperation, particularly in combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, a region of growing strategic importance to the United States.
Guinea-Bissau has become a key transit point for cocaine trafficked from Latin America to Europe. In April, it handed over four convicted smugglers to US authorities.
Guinea-Bissau's president, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, called the visit “very important”, citing hopes for economic support.
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Migration, trade
Migration and trade are also key issues. All five countries are coastal and part of active migration routes.
For Senegal, the stakes are high: over 20,000 Senegalese were intercepted at the US-Mexico border in the first half of 2024, a tenfold increase from two years earlier.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is also expected to raise the issue of his country’s debt crisis. Senegal’s public debt stands at 111.4 percent of GDP, and Dakar is pressing for the release of a $1.8 billion IMF loan, suspended over data irregularities under the previous administration.
Liberian President Joseph Boakai aims to position his country as a trade partner, not just an aid recipient, his press secretary said.
Gabonese officials also cited industrial development as a key interest.
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Beyond aid dependency
The meeting comes as the Trump administration pivots away from traditional foreign aid, following the closure of USAID, and as Washington looks to secure supply chains and counter Chinese and Russian influence in Africa.
Beijing has invested heavily across the continent, while Moscow has backed the new Alliance of Sahel States – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – which border some of the visiting countries.
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No press appearances are scheduled for Wednesday’s meeting. Past White House meetings have proven problematic, including the one when Trump showed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a video promoting false claims of white genocide.
Gabon, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal are among 36 countries under review for possible inclusion in a US travel ban, according to a recent internal memo.
(with newswires)
