Five African leaders are set to meet with the U.S. President Donald Trump next week in Washington, D.C., in what could mark a turning point in his administration’s engagement with the continent.
According to media reports first shared by Africa Intelligence and confirmed by Semafor, the summit will bring together heads of state from several Western and Central African nations for key talks on trade, regional security, and investment.
Sources say that Trump will meet with the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal during the event, which is reportedly set for July 9–11, as seen on Reuters.
The announcement follows closely on the heels of a peace agreement secured by Trump in Washington between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The deal aims to end years of conflict in eastern Congo and includes commitments to withdraw troops, stop backing armed groups, and lay out a plan for cross-border and regional economic cooperation.
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While the summit is expected to focus on strengthening ties between the US and Africa, it also comes as tensions over trade simmer.
In April, Trump introduced steep new tariffs on African imports under his “reciprocal trade” policy.
The proposed tariffs range from 10% on goods from Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia to 50% on imports from Lesotho. South African exports would face a 30% duty.
The tariffs were delayed for 90 days to allow time for negotiations, but that window is closing, and many African leaders are expected to push for an extension or an exemption during their time in Washington.
Trump’s stance on Africa marks a clear break from past US administrations, which focused heavily on aid and humanitarian assistance.
Instead, Trump has framed US-Africa relations around economic self-interest, security, and transactional diplomacy.
In a statement on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would favor countries that demonstrate “both the ability and willingness to help themselves” rather than take a charity-driven approach.
In May, Troy Fitrel, a senior official overseeing African Affairs, said US diplomats in Africa will now be evaluated on the commercial deals they secure as part of the administration’s new strategy.
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