Trump Hosts Mini-Summit With Five African Leaders

On 9 July 2025, US President Donald Trump welcomed five African heads of state at the White House for a working lunch session. The five hand-picked guests were Gabon’s President Brice Nguema, Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Embalo, Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai, Mauritania’s President Ould Ghazouani, and Senegal’s President Bassirou Faye. All the countries are in West Africa and are known to be rich in raw materials.

Observers noted that the mini-summit is pregnant with symbolism and represents a ‘paradigm shift’ in the US foreign policy toward Africa. During Trump’s first term, a similar mini-summit actually took place with nine African countries.

However, Trump later characterized Africa in less than flattering terms. Trump has little patience or respect for ‘countries looking for handouts’, and the new mantra is ‘trade, not aid.’

First of all, the African leaders commended President Trump’s initiative to bring peace and stability in the Great Lakes Region. In recognition for his efforts toward peace in Africa and other regions, the African leaders would have no objection should a Nobel Peace Prize be awarded to Donald Trump. The African Presidents all took this rare face-to-face opportunity to pitch investment projects to US President Trump directly.

Gabon is rich in manganese as well as oil and gas and President Nguema underscored that several African states are rich in resources and are eager to go up the global value chain via more investment in Local Value Addition (#LVA). Actually, Gabon holds 25% of the global reserves of manganese and is the world 2nd largest producer of the mineral while supplying 22% of China’s needs. With piracy being a threat in the Gulf of Guinea, it would welcome the setting up of an American base to assist with #MaritimeSecurity.

Senegal plans to build a Digital City in Dakar with views of the Atlantic Ocean and thanked the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for uncovering substantial reserves of oil and gas. “I would like to invite American investors to take part in these,” underlined President Faye. On a lighter note, President Faye complimented Trump on his golf skills and invited Trump to build a hotel with a golf course in Senegal.

Mauritania is rich in mineral and fisheries resources. It has significant deposits of iron ore, gold, copper, phosphates, and uranium which are still largely unexploited. Recently, oil and gas has also been discovered in the Greater Tortoise Ahmeyim (GTA) adjoining Senegal. Mauritania is one of the richest fishing grounds along the West African coast with EU and Chinese boats operating in its waters.

Similarly, Guinea-Bissau has both mineral and hydrocarbon potential. In addition, it is a major exporter of cashew nuts, timber and shrimp. Zircon, ilmenite and rutile have been detected along the coastal regions.

Liberia is also rich in mineral resources and iron ore, in particular. The Buchanan port on the Atlantic Ocean serves as an embarkation point for the export of the mineral. Liberia could also act as the evacuation point for Simandou iron ore complex in Guinea, given its proximity.

Being the only English-speaking person African leader, President Boakai distinguished himself with his eloquent English that elicited compliments from President Trump. Unfortunately, some observers took the comment out of context and portrayed it as a sneer.

Trump proposed for these countries to take back migrants deported by the US. According to the West African Research Center (WARC), more than 20,000 people from Mauritania entered the US via Nicaragua between 2023 and 2025. Trump reiterated his zero-tolerance policy toward illegal immigrants and those who overstay their visa in the US.

With regards to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (#AGOA), Trump stated that ‘we will have to look at that’. The re-authorization of AGOA is up to Congress, but the general consensus in Washington appears to be converging toward something that is better aligned with the ‘#AmericaFirst’ policy.

The Trump administration also announced a full-fledged US-Africa Leaders Summit before the end of 2025, but at this point, no firm date has been announced officially. Trump also indicated that he would ‘of course like to visit Africa in the future.’