US President Donald Trump will hold the inaugural African Leaders’ Summit of his second term next week in Washington, D.C., marking a watershed moment in his administration’s relationship with the continent.
- US President Donald Trump is hosting an African Leaders’ Summit in Washington, D.C., to enhance relations with African nations.
- Presidents from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal are expected to discuss trade, security, and investment.
- The summit follows a peace agreement facilitated by Trump between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to media sources confirmed by Semafor and first reported by Africa Intelligence, the summit will bring together heads of state from various Western and Central African countries for high-level discussions on trade, regional security, and investment.
Sources claim that Trump and presidents from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal will attend the summit, which is reportedly scheduled for July 9–11, as seen on Reuters.
The declaration comes only days after President Trump secured a peace deal in Washington between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The agreement intends to put an end to years of strife in eastern Congo and includes agreements to withdraw troops, stop supporting armed groups, and create a framework for cross-border and regional economic cooperation.
While the meeting will likely highlight US-Africa collaboration, it will also take place against the backdrop of an impending trade dispute.
In April, Trump proposed massive additional taxes on African imports under his “reciprocal trade” policy.
Tariffs range from 10% on items from Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia to a whopping 50% on Lesotho. South African exports would be subject to a 30% tariff under the scheme.
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Tariffs were temporarily postponed for 90 days to enable negotiations with affected countries.
However, the grace period is coming to an end, and many African leaders arriving in Washington are anticipated to lobby the US administration for an extension or outright exemption.
A shift in US-Africa policy
Trump’s approach differs significantly from previous US administrations, which stressed aid and humanitarian assistance in their Africa policy.
Instead, Trump has viewed United States-Africa relations through a lens of economic self-interest, security, and transactional diplomacy.
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In a statement on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States will give preference to countries that exhibit “both the ability and willingness to help themselves” rather than a charity-based approach.
As part of the new plan for support on the continent, Troy Fitrel, a senior bureau official in charge of African Affairs, stated in May that U.S. envoys in Africa will be evaluated based on the commercial agreements they make.
