US President Donald Trump began a three-day summit in Washington DC with the leaders of five African states, an event the White House sees as an “incredible” commercial opportunity.
Trump’s guests include the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal – all countries with small populations and economies.
The meetings were expected to concentrate on Trump’s “trade, not aid” policy and with all of them facing 10% tariffs on goods exported to the US, they may be hoping to do deals to negotiate this rate down.
During a televised lunch at the White House on Wednesday, July 9, the African leaders lavished Trump with praise while encouraging US economic partnership.
