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U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host the leaders of five African nations in Washington next week for a series of discussions centered on expanding commercial partnerships. According to a White House official, the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal will join Trump at the White House on July 9 for a lunch and formal meeting aimed at fostering mutual economic opportunities.
The official said that President Trump views Africa as a continent full of potential and envisions the meeting as a step toward developing business-oriented ties that benefit both African nations and the United States. The visit comes as part of a broader three-day summit in Washington scheduled from July 9 to 11, as previously reported by Africa Intelligence and Semafor.
This engagement marks a significant shift in the U.S. approach to Africa under Trump’s renewed leadership. The administration has significantly reduced traditional foreign aid programs to African countries as part of its "America First" agenda. Instead of supporting what it terms wasteful aid models, the administration says it aims to focus on sustainable trade and investment strategies that encourage self-reliance.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced this approach earlier in the week by announcing the end of the "charity-based" foreign aid model. Rubio emphasized that future U.S. support will be geared toward countries that demonstrate both the ability and the willingness to build their own economic capacity.
The new strategy also includes performance metrics for U.S. diplomats on the continent. According to Troy Fitrel, a senior official for African Affairs, U.S. envoys will now be evaluated based on the number and quality of commercial deals facilitated between U.S. and African entities, signaling a pivot toward economic diplomacy as the cornerstone of American engagement in Africa.
See also: Trump Signs Order to Raise Fees for Foreign Visitors at U.S. National Parks
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