NEWS & POLITICS
What happened during Trump's mini summit with African leaders
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump met with leaders from Mauritania, Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, and Gabon, signaling a shift in U.S.-Africa relations from aid to trade.
Michael Oduor
Washington (RA) - Trump emphasized Africa's untapped economic potential, with the leaders touting their nations' natural resources and praising the U.S. for brokering a peace deal between Rwanda and the DRC.
The meeting came as Trump's global tariffs sparked international backlash. While the summit highlighted closer ties with a select few, it notably sidestepped the wider impact of the USAID shutdown across the continent.
In the months leading up to Wednesday's summit, the Trump administration made clear its intention to shift U.S.-Africa relations from aid to commerce, favoring trade deals over traditional development assistance.
Just days after taking office in January, President Trump dismantled USAID. This decades-old agency had long supported critical health and education programs across the African continent, marking a dramatic departure from previous U.S. foreign policy.
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani highlighted his country's untapped natural resources, including uranium, lithium, and manganese, positioning Mauritania as a key partner in the global critical minerals market.
President Trump drew sharp criticism after commenting on Liberian President Joseph Boakai's English proficiency—a remark widely seen as patronizing and tone-deaf, given that English is Liberia's official language and the country which was established in the early 1800s with the aim of relocating freed African slaves and free-born Black citizens from the United States, has maintained close ties with the U. S.
The dissolution of USAID has a significant impact on Liberia, where it contributes 2.6% of the country's GDP.
Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, and Liberia are among the 36 countries that might be included in the list of countries affected by Trump's travel ban.
Gabon's President Brice Oligui Nguema highlighted his country's wealth of rare earth minerals, and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye presented plans for a new tech city in Dakar, inviting U.S. investors to participate.
