Why is Trump meeting five African presidents this week?
Politics Africa
SOURCE: DW
The US president has invited the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal to Washington this week. Experts suggest that there will be more on the agenda than just commercial opportunities.
“A White House official explained last week that ‘President Trump believes African countries offer incredible commercial opportunities that benefit both the American people and our African partners,'” says DW’s Washington correspondent, Ines Pohl.
“In a recent update, Trump highlighted the vast commercial potential of African nations, suggesting stronger economic ties could be mutually beneficial. However, his administration hascut back on US foreign aid to Africa, viewing it as wasteful and incompatible with his ‘America First’ agenda. Instead, the focus is shifting toward trade and investment, particularly in West Africa’s critical minerals sector and regional security.”
Trump to host five African leaders
Why these five countries?
Trump’s approach to Africa appears to have evolved since his first term. During a White House meeting on January 10, 2018, he famously referred to Haiti and several African countries as “shithole countries.”
“We recall those harsh words, but things have changed,” says Prof. Suleymane Bachir Diagne of Senegal, who teaches and researches at Columbia University in New York City. “Africa is now on the radar of the Trump administration. The continent is recognized as a place to make deals.”
But if Trump’s agenda truly centers on deals and ‘America First,’ why invite the presidents of these five relatively small economies? “It’s surprising,” Diagne says. “One might expect the usual suspects — large economies like South Africa or Nigeria. Instead, we have these five countries, which few anticipated.”
Donald Trump’s view of Africa has changed. He now looks interested in making deals with African countries Image: Alex Brandon/AP Photo/picture alliance
What about migration and drugs?
“Controlling migration and drug routes — that’s what Donald Trump is truly interested in,” says Zakaria Ould Amar, an international consultant from Mauritania.
“These five countries lie directly on refugee and migrant paths that have, over the years, sent tens of thousands of people to the US-Mexico border. International drug routes also run through this region.”
Amar suggests that these security issues will dominate Trump’s talks with the five African leaders. “Economically, these countries are currently of little significance. I can’t see what Trump could realistically negotiate with them in terms of trade or business
American affairs expert Prof. William Ferreira from Guinea-Bissau is skeptical: “I doubt this meeting will bring tangible benefits to the African countries involved. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
“Our president’s trip to Washington to meet Trump is not good news for Guinea-Bissau or its people,” he says. Ferreira notes that the Trump administration has halted or drastically cut funding for aid projects in Africa, as well as in Guinea-Bissau, dimming any hopes tied to the meeting in Washington.
Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo’s (L) term expired in February, yet he remains in power and was invited by TrumpImage: Sergey Bobylev/REUTERS
Senegal, led by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye since 2024, confronts accusations of facilitating illegal international migration. Guinea-Bissau remains embroiled in institutional crises, with civil society groups accusing Umaro Sissoco Embalo of dismantling democratic structures and aiming to establish a dictatorship. His legitimacy is seen as derived not from the people but through international endorsements, such as the Washington meeting.
Diplomatic success or political show?
Lesmes Monteiro, presidential advisor in Guinea-Bissau, offers a contrasting view. “Sissoco Embaló’s inclusion among Trump’s chosen five is a diplomatic triumph,” he told DW. “He is a determined leader, respected and received by the world’s most powerful statesmen: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, and now Donald Trump.”
Monteiro highlights ideological alignment as a key factor in the selection. “Trump and our president share similar values: a strong emphasis on national sovereignty and traditional values. Guinea-Bissau’s geostrategic position is very important to the US, and economically, the country could become interesting to the US in the medium term.”
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