The leaders of Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Liberia, Gabon, and Mauritania took part in the first U.S.-Africa summit under the Trump administration, held from 9 to 11 July 2025.
This official visit, focused on economic diplomacy and private investment, led to concrete commitments in the mining, energy, infrastructure, and security sectors.
Five African presidents’ historic summit with President Donald Trump at the White House was a series of high-level bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening economic partnerships and boosting private investment.
First Trump-Africa Summit
The July 9 summit was the first multilateral meeting between the new U.S. administration and African leaders. The high stakes talks emphasised the administration’s “Trade Not Aid” policy, which prioritises mutually beneficial economic partnerships, private sector investment, and regional security cooperation.
Guinea-Bissau: Stability, investment, and security cooperation
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló outlined his vision for a “stable, secure, and investment-ready” Guinea-Bissau, highlighting priority sectors including energy, agriculture, tourism, technology, and infrastructure. The country’s new investment code was presented as a key instrument to attract strong partnerships.
The Bissau-Guinean delegation, which included the Minister of Justice and the Director of the Judicial Police, deepened cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the fight against drug trafficking, reflecting the country’s commitment to regional security.
Economic talks were complemented by meetings with entrepreneurs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, exploring investment opportunities in Guinea-Bissau.
Senegal: Intensive economic diplomacy and strategic partnerships
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye led an especially active economic diplomacy, presenting his “new vision of cooperation based on trade, mutually beneficial investments, and respect for shared interests.”
He underscored Senegal’s strengths, including political stability, a favourable business climate, and strategic geographic positioning.
Strategic sectoral meetings
Alongside the official White House meeting, President Faye held key meetings, including with a senior Boeing delegation led by Executive Vice President Michael Schnabel. Talks focused on strengthening the partnership with Air Senegal, acquiring high-performance aircraft, developing local capacity, and creating skilled jobs in the country’s aviation sector.
The Senegalese leader also met with officials from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to discuss expanding cooperation in structuring economic development projects.
Fruitful exchanges were held with senior Senegalese officials at the IMF and the World Bank regarding economic challenges and sustainable growth opportunities.
Roundtable with U.S. investors
On the second day of his visit, President Faye hosted an executive roundtable at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington—the world’s largest business federation. In front of about thirty senior executives from major U.S. companies, he laid out his “clear, bold, and attractive” economic vision for Senegal.
He highlighted recent reforms to improve the business climate and outlined investment opportunities in key sectors such as energy, agribusiness, infrastructure, digital economy, and natural resources (oil and gas).
This new Senegalese approach—aligned with the “Trade Not Aid” doctrine—was well received by American investors, who expressed strong interest in expanding their presence in Senegal. The Chamber of Commerce announced the upcoming release of a dedicated Senegal Investment Guide.
Cooperation with the DFC
President Faye concluded his visit with a meeting with Christopher Landau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Chairman of the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Board. Landau conveyed the United States’ commitment to boosting economic cooperation with Senegal through increased investment and stronger collaboration between the two countries’ private sectors.
Mineral-rich Liberia
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai focused his remarks on Liberia’s rich natural resources, calling for deeper cooperation in the mining sector. At the summit, he expressed Liberia’s appreciation for its historic partnership with the U.S., stating: “Liberia has long been a friend of the United States, and we believe in your vision to make America great again.”
Technical and geological cooperation
President Boakai requested support for comprehensive mineral surveys, saying, “Liberia has immense mineral potential, and as a trusted friend, we seek your support to conduct thorough geological assessments. This is essential for unlocking sustainable growth and mutual economic benefit.”
During his bilateral meeting with President Trump, he invited the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to collaborate on mapping critical minerals nationwide, with a focus on strategic investment opportunities in rare earth elements, lithium, and other essential resources.
Economic reforms and the ARREST Agenda
Boakai reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to transparency, good governance, and the rule of law. He presented the ARREST agenda (Agriculture, Roads, Rule of law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism) as the foundation for economic partnership and national growth.
The Liberian leader also held high-level talks with Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau, discussing practical pathways to expand partnerships in the mining sector, small business development, and other private-sector areas. Landau welcomed the recent signing of a Concession and Access Agreement (CAA) with Ivanhoe Liberia Ltd., which secures multi-user access to Liberia’s key railway corridor.
Philadelphia Trade Conference
On July 11, President Boakai addressed a trade conference in Philadelphia, organised by Liberia’s Office of Trade and Investment in partnership with Laborers’ Local 332. Speaking through Ambassador Charles A. Snetter Jr., Boakai declared: “The era of PowerPoint presentations is over—we’re now taking concrete action on the ground. We invite you to join this transformation.”
He also highlighted his country’s unanimous election to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, calling it “a powerful signal of Liberia’s growing international credibility—and a message to global investors that Liberia is back and open for business.”
Gabon: Infrastructure projects and economic sovereignty
President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema presented his vision for “building a strong, sovereign, and forward-looking economy,” with a focus on the flagship 901-km Belinga-Boué-Mayumba railway line, designed to transport iron ore and integrate national infrastructure.
Announced during his New Year’s address on 31 December 2024, the railway is a cornerstone of Gabon’s industrialisation strategy and effort to connect its resources to global value chains. Other key projects included an agreement with Millennial Potash for Mayumba potash, ongoing talks with ExxonMobil and Boeing, construction of the Mayumba deep-water port, the Boué hydropower dam, and financing requests to the U.S. DFC and EXIMBANK.
On the sidelines of his official visit, President Oligui Nguema held a high-level meeting at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with investors from the mining, infrastructure, aviation, and energy sectors.
Projects presented included the Mayumba port, the Belinga-Mayumba railway, the new Andem airport, a 3,000-km road network, and iron ore mining at Belinga and Baniaka. U.S. investors praised Gabon’s reform agenda and expressed interest in supporting these ambitious initiatives.
On July 10, the president met with Urbain Beka Nguema, CEO of BW Energy, to discuss development of the newly discovered “Bourdon” oil field off the coast of Mayumba, estimated at 83 million barrels.
Mauritania: Strategic position and regional cooperation
President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani emphasised Mauritania’s strategic advantages in his meeting with President Trump, expressing his “deep appreciation for the invitation” and applauding “the American president’s efforts to promote peace in several regions.”
El-Ghazouani pointed to Mauritania’s strategic location on the Atlantic coast, directly across from the U.S. and linking North and Sub-Saharan Africa. He recalled that “for sixty years, Mauritania has been Africa’s second-largest iron ore producer,” and stressed the richness of the country’s marine resources, especially fish.
He commended President Trump’s peace initiatives and called for efforts to end the war in Gaza, noting that the U.S. administration “has played a significant role in fostering peace” in various regions.
Bilateral engagements
President El-Ghazouani also met with Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau to “follow up and activate” commitments made during his meeting with President Trump. Both parties explored ways to strengthen Mauritania’s partnership with the American private sector and discussed regional security issues in West Africa’s coastal corridor.
On the margins of his visit, the president took part in a meeting at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington with Kendra Gaither, President of the Afro-American Business Center, Will Stevens, Deputy Assistant Secretary for West African Affairs, and Mike Anderson, First Vice President for International Affairs at Cosmos Energy. Talks focused on “expanding partnerships between Mauritania and American stakeholders, particularly in investment, business climate development, and experience sharing.”
This three-day official visit enabled the five African leaders to showcase their countries’ economic potential and engage with strategic American investors. The meetings yielded tangible outcomes, including investment guides, technical missions, potential financing, and industrial partnerships.
source: APA news
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