After dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Trump administration is seeking to shift to more trade-based economic relationships with African nations. To lay the groundwork for these future partnerships, President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of five West African countries– Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal– at the White House during a strategic multilateral lunch on July 9.
“We have closed the USAID group to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, and we’re working tirelessly to forge new economic opportunities involving both the U.S. and African nations,” the U.S. president said during the meeting.
The cuts to USAID, which was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy as the U.S. government’s lead humanitarian and development division, came after Trump and his administration claimed the agency was no longer acting in the interest of America and its people.
Dismantling the humanitarian agency could potentially result in more than 14 million deaths by 2030, according to a study published in The Lancet.
“This will undermine U.S. national security, may subvert Congressional authority and demonstrates a lack of respect for the dedication of the development professionals who serve America’s interest abroad,” said the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) in a statement. “Weakening or eliminating this agency will only help those who seek to undermine American leadership.”
When the current administration initially transferred USAID’s functions to the State Department, it was done suddenly without notifying stakeholders or Congress. Such an action could jeaprodize U.S. international relations.
Regardless, the leaders present at the luncheon were eager to strengthen their economic relationship with the U.S. by discussing their countries’ assets and vital issues.
“This is a message of interest you’re sending to… the whole of Africa,” said President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania to Trump. “All of this is generous on your part. We are receiving this, and we accept this message from you.”
Proposals for Investment
Most of the West African leaders boasted their nations’ abundance of raw materials, encouraging American investors to support them.
Others, specifically Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye, also highlighted specific initiatives they’d like to see within their countries.
According to the World Bank’s 2025 Gabon Economic Update, the African nation attained a national wealth of USD $105 billion in 2020, experiencing a 35% increase since 1990, and is expected to increase by 2.4% between 2025 and 2027. Gabon’s ample natural resources account for 42% of the nation’s overall wealth.
“We are rich countries when it comes to raw materials, but we need partners to support us and help us develop those resources with win-win partnerships,” Nguema said. “We also want our raw materials to be processed locally in our country, so we can create value and create jobs for our youth.”
According to the World Bank report, declining inflation in Gabon has contributed to limited employment options, leaving one-third of the country’s population in poverty and 20% of its workforce unemployed.
Nguema also spoke about maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which Gabon borders. The Gulf has traditionally been notorious for piracy incidents such as hijackings and hostage situations due to the concentration of oil cargo. According to maritime risk intelligence company Dryad Global, piracy incidents in the region have increased by 30% as of June 2025.
“You said you have the best military equipment, and that’s what we’d like to have so we can stop maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and we can’t do it alone,” Nguema said to Trump. “We need a reliable and strong partner that is committed and takes real steps, real action.”
One of the initiatives Diomaye wanted to bring to America’s attention was the desire to invest in a digital city.
“We identified a space in the city of Dakar,” Diomaye said. “It’s on 40 hectares and is a great opportunity for American tech companies to come and make a tech city open to Africa.”
The ideas of a technological hub have been in the works since 2015, when the Senegalese government, then led by former President Macky Sall, adopted a policy within the Senegal Emergent Plan to develop an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. This plan was supposed to create an attractive space for investors through the Senegal Digital City project.
Recently, the African nation has launched a new transformation plan, Senegal 2050, to pave the way for sovereignty and prosperity. Within this agenda lies the framework, called the Technological New Deal, to push the country to be a leader in Africa’s digital economy through supplying citizens with universal and affordable internet access, incubation and funding programs to support local startups, the gradual digitization of the nation’s economy and more.
“Everywhere, digital technology is an essential lever to increase competitiveness, affirm sovereignty and foster prosperity,” Diomaye said in February, introducing the initiative. “The pivotal period we are experiencing in a constantly evolving world requires nations to redefine their priorities to adapt to the imperatives of the digital revolution.”
Diomaye also proposed investing in a golf course in Senegal to attract tourists and cater to Trump’s hobbies, portraying the proposal as a means for the U.S. president to “show off [his] skills on the golf course.”
This proposal was deemed as tone deaf by some, as Senegal is currently facing an economic crisis that is causing the country’s citizens to try fleeing by boat, resulting in multiple drownings. According to the migrant advocacy group, Ca-minando Fronteras, at least 2,000 people died in 2024 due to this phenomenon.
“Youth drowning in the ocean, food prices skyrocketing, jobs nonexistent, visa plans piling up, and our president’s pitch to Trump? A golf course,” said Senegalese business owner Amina Mbengue on X, formerly known as Twitter. “There are 99 problems in Senegal– golf ain’t one.”
Liberian President Condemns Trump’s Language Remark
Even though Trump and the African leaders were championing peacebuilding and efficient international collaboration, the U.S. president managed to offend the leaders, especially Liberian President Joseph Boakai, during the strategic meeting.
After Boakai introduced himself and his country at the luncheon, Trump was seemingly surprised by the African leader’s English-speaking skills and asked him where he learned the language, despite English being Liberia’s national language. The remark shocked and angered Boakai.
“The discrimination and prejudice against our country is too great,” the Liberian president said in a statement the day after the luncheon. “He seems to have tacitly agreed that African countries could not have language skills and that we should not have development.”
Boakai felt Trump’s remark showcased a sense of superiority and arrogance, two traits that could potentially hinder the U.S.’s international relationships.
“I believe that if Trump cannot learn to respect every country, he will sooner or later become an international laughingstock,” Boakai said.
