As he intensifies a trade war that could have an impact on developing nations that depend on US trade, US President Donald Trump is meeting with leaders of five African nations.
According to a White House official, Trump held discussions with leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal at the White House on Wednesday, with the discussions slated to focus on business opportunities.
Trump claimed at the lunch that the participants were from “very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, great oil deposits, and wonderful people.”
“Your continent is full of anger.” Trump cited a recent peace agreement that Rwanda’s leaders, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the United States have signed at the White House as proof that we have been successful in solving many of the issues.
According to statements from the White House and Liberia, the leaders are expected to discuss pressing issues of cooperation, including democracy, security, infrastructure, and economic development. Trump claimed that US tariffs were unlikely to apply to the five nations.
President Trump has a multilateral lunch with African leaders https://t.co/nkcx56xF74
Trump is anticipated to make soon announcements regarding the location of a larger summit with African leaders, possibly in September, when the UN General Assembly is taking place.
The most recent effort by successive administrations to dispel the myth that the US has neglected a continent where China has increasingly made economic strides is this week’s mini-summit.
Focus on trade and investment
The meeting on Wednesday is anticipated to concentrate on economics.
Brice Oligui Nguema, president of Gabon, stated at the meeting that while his nation is open to investment and wants to see its local raw mineral resources processed, it also requires significant energy investments.
We are not developing nations. When it comes to raw materials, we are wealthy nations. However, Nguema said at the meeting that we need partners to help us develop those resources through win-win partnerships.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, president of Senegal, suggested that his nation also offered opportunities for tourism investment, including a golf course.
Trump could travel to New York to demonstrate his abilities, according to Faye, who stated that the course would only take place in six hours.
The Banio Potash Mine in Mayumba, Gabon, will receive project development funding from the US International Development Finance Corporation, which earlier announced its intention to reduce its import dependence.
DFC’s investments are backed by Conor Coleman, DFC’s head of investments, Conor Coleman, who stated that “DFC’s efforts not only benefit the nations and communities where they invest but also advance US economic interests by opening new markets, strengthening trade relationships, and promoting a more secure and prosperous global economy.”
The five countries that are meeting Trump’s leaders only trade in the US and Africa, but they also have untapped natural resources.
The Trump administration is concerned about drug trafficking, but Senegal and Mauritania, two of their main transit and origin nations, are also concerned about it.
However, African Union officials question how, under “abusive” tariff proposals and visa restrictions, primarily aimed at Africans, Africa could strengthen trade ties with the US.
Ambassador Troy Fitrell, the top US diplomat for Africa, has refuted claims of unfair trade practices by the US.
The US Agency for International Development wasdissolved earlier this month, and the organization’s management announced that it was no longer pursuing “a charity-based foreign aid model” and would instead concentrate on working with nations that “show the ability and willingness to help themselves.”
Source: Aljazeera
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