5 African leaders participating in summit amid China tensions : NPR

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MARCO LONGARI/AFP LAGOS, Nigeria — The presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon are in Washington this week for a three-day mini summit hosted by President Trump — a part of what the White Home describes as a push to deepen "industrial alternatives" between the U.S. and African nations.

Whereas few particulars have been launched, senior U.S. officers say the talks replicate the Trump administration's pivot from assist to financial partnerships on the continent. The leaders will be a part of Trump for a White Home lunch on Wednesday, adopted by closed-door financial conferences by way of Friday.

Final month, the administration brokered a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda — extensively seen as a prelude to a uncommon earth minerals deal. Analysts say this week's summit might comply with go well with, with the U.S. eyeing essential assets like Gabon's manganese and uranium.

"Trump is transactional — he needs to know what these nations can provide," stated Prof. David Okoye of Nigeria's Niger Delta College.

The summit additionally comes amid rising U.S. concern over China's increasing footprint in Africa — notably rumors that Beijing is scouting port places alongside West Africa's coast for potential navy use. "The U.S. has been watching Chinese language curiosity in locations like Gabon, Guinea, and Mauritania very carefully," stated Cameron Hudson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

China stays Africa's top trade and investment partner and its navy presence on the continent is expanding , as is Russia's. The U.S. navy has significantly reduced its presence or been pushed out of the Sahel , the place it had supported counterterrorism missions for almost twenty years. Since 2020, navy juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have expelled Western forces — together with U.S. troops — and turned as an alternative to Russia for safety assist.

Alongside China, India, Brazil and South Africa, Russia is a founding member of the BRICS bloc of rising economies and has been deepening each financial and navy ties throughout Africa.

Nonetheless, tensions over assist cuts are prone to grasp over the talks. Liberia, a longtime recipient of U.S. international help, has been hit onerous by Trump's closure of USAID earlier this 12 months. The cuts compelled well being facilities to close down and created essential shortages in HIV treatment and contraceptives. U.S. assist beforehand made up almost 3% of Liberia's nationwide earnings — the best of any nation, based on the Center for Global Development.

But forward of the summit, Liberia's authorities sought to downplay any friction, calling the go to an opportunity to deal with "financial and commerce alternatives over charity and assist."

For others, the assembly is extra private. Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embaló — below fireplace at dwelling for delaying elections — known as Trump's invitation a "diplomatic triumph" and cited shared management values.

Observers have raised eyebrows over who wasn't invited. Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana — three of the area's largest democracies and longtime U.S. allies — have been disregarded. Some speculate Nigeria's rising ties with BRICS could also be guilty; President Tinubu simply returned from the BRICS summit in Brazil.

Ghana, in the meantime, might have ruffled feathers after President John Mahama condemned Trump's Oval Workplace ambush of South Africa's leader in Could as "an insult to all Africans." Relations with South Africa are at an all-time low, culminating in a U.S. announcement of 30% tariff on all South African imports ranging from August.

"It is onerous to inform why these 5 international locations have been picked," stated Prof. Paul Agwu of Nigeria's College of Port Harcourt. "We'll see what comes out of it — however I doubt it's going to be something new."