Why Trump invited five African leaders to the White House

US President Donald Trump began a three-day summit in Washington DC with the leaders of five African states, an event the White House sees as an “incredible” commercial opportunity.

Trump’s guests include the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal — all countries with small populations and economies. The meetings are expected to focus on Trump’s “trade, not aid” policy. With all five nations facing 10% tariffs on goods exported to the US, their leaders may be hoping to negotiate those rates down.

During a televised lunch at the White House, the African leaders praised Trump and emphasized economic cooperation. Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani thanked Trump for helping broker a peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda. The other leaders echoed praise and some called for Trump to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye complimented Trump’s golf skills and invited him to build a golf course in Senegal. The leaders also spoke about their countries’ natural resources and invited US investors to participate in development projects. Faye discussed plans for a “tech city” in Dakar, while Gabon’s President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema highlighted his country’s rare earth minerals and urged the US to invest before others do.

Senegal’s former ambassador to Washington, Babacar Diagne, said the summit marks a shift in US-Africa relations under Trump. Since returning to office, Trump has cut aid to the continent, deeming it wasteful. His administration has also cast doubt on renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which guarantees duty-free access for some African exports.

Former diplomat Diagne said the US is now focused purely on transactional relationships: “Pure trade. It’s give and take, win and win.” He cited the recent DR Congo-Rwanda peace deal as an example of the US using diplomacy to secure mineral access.

Nicaise Mouloumbi, head of a Gabonese NGO, said Trump’s renewed focus on Africa is driven by competition from China and Russia for strategic resources like gold, manganese, uranium, and oil. Gabon, which holds about a quarter of the world’s manganese reserves, may also be considered for hosting a new US military base due to its strategic Gulf of Guinea location.

Migration is expected to be a major topic for Mauritania and Senegal, as both countries are key departure points for irregular migration to the US. Thousands of young Mauritanians and Senegalese have made the journey via Nicaragua in recent years, making migration a central issue in Trump’s policy discussions with both countries.

Mauritania’s lack of diplomatic ties with Israel, cut in 2009, may also complicate potential US agreements. Visa overstay rates in Gabon and Liberia are another concern, especially after the US imposed new travel restrictions on Burundi for similar issues. Liberia is reportedly considering a proposal to accept deported individuals, including convicted criminals, in exchange for assistance.

Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Cissoko Embaló expressed pride in the US invitation, saying it signaled recognition of the country’s progress from instability to legitimacy. All five leaders—Embaló, Nguema (Gabon), Boakai (Liberia), Ghazouani (Mauritania), and Faye (Senegal)—are hoping to strike trade deals and avoid the diplomatic strain that followed Trump’s earlier tense meeting with South Africa’s president.

Credit: BBC