In the high-stakes world of 21st-century geopolitics, even a lunch can tell a deeper story. That was certainly the case when US President Donald Trump recently hosted a seemingly low-profile summit with African leaders at the White House. Leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal sat down for handshakes, smiles, and awkward small talk. But beneath the veneer of goodwill was a clearer, more strategic subtext: the USA racing to reassert its foothold on a continent whose mineral wealth has become the new gold standard in global competition.
On paper, this summit mimicked similar gatherings hosted by Russia and China in recent years. Both powers have successfully established forums with African nations to secure not only resources but also diplomatic and military influence. But unlike China’s Belt and Road harm or Russia’s security offerings in the Sahel, Trump’s summit was a paradox—an effort to court African leaders while simultaneously carrying the baggage of past insults, inconsistent policies, and a glaringly transactional tone.
What happens next— whether new mining projects take off, whether migration deals hold, whether security cooperation flourishes— will determine if this was the beginning of a new American engagement, or just another awkward, half-hearted attempt to reclaim lost ground. The race for Africa is on. But it’s not about who arrives first. It’s about who stays the longest— and who listens best
The awkwardness of the summit was epitomized in a gaffe when Trump asked Liberian President Joseph Boakai where he learned to speak English so well —apparently unaware that English is Liberia’s official language and that the country itself was established in the early 19th century by freed African-American slaves with US support.
For many, this was more than a slip —it showed a broader ignorance that has long defined Washington’s Africa policy. Whereas China sends seasoned diplomats and engineers there, the USA often arrives with lectures on governance or, worse, condescension.
And yet, Washington is pivoting. With the West losing ground across Africa —especially as former colonial powers like France are being shown the door in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger —the USA finds its influence waning.
At the heart of this diplomatic courtship lies pnr word: minerals. The five African nations represented at the summit may not wield geopolitical clout, but they sit atop deposits of cobalt, manganese, iron ore, and lithium —elements essential to the technological revolutions of our age.
The problem? China got there first.
Beijing has built infrastructure and brokered mining deals across the continent for over two decades, using a model African leaders often find more attractive: no strings attached, no political preaching. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a textbook case —home to the world’s largest cobalt reserves and a major hub for Chinese mining firms.
The Trump Administration, by contrast, initially slashed aid and tightened immigration from Africa. Now it is reversing course —but with a narrow focus. Guided by Masad Bulos, who has brokered deals in the region and also happens to be related by marriage to the Trump family, the USA is eyeing “virgin ground” —countries where China’s influence is still limited. The Bano-Patach mining project in Gabon, backed by the US Development Finance Corporation, is being touted as a prototype for how America might play catch-up.
But it’s a long road. Decades of mistrust, combined with new security challenges— especially in the jihadist-infested Sahel— make any US investment high-risk. Countries like Mali and Niger have already expelled Western forces and opted for Russian security partnerships. US firms, unlike their Chinese or Russian counterparts, are often averse to instability and corruption, preferring environments offering legal clarity and security, not plentiful in Africa.
Another undercurrent to this summit was migration. African migrants, especially from Mauritania and Senegal, have increasingly been reaching the USA via Latin America. The Trump Administration is exploring deals with African nations to take back deportees or host third-country asylum processing centres.
It is a transactional dance. Invite a leader to Washington, offer some investment or military equipment, and secure a backroom deal on migration control. But this dual-track diplomacy— offering friendship while slapping travel bans— undermines whatever goodwill the USA hopes to build. Visa denials for African business leaders and athletes have drawn criticism. The message is mixed: come to Washington to talk business, but don’t expect to enter the country freely.
Trump’s pivot to Africa is consistent with his mantra: “Trade, not aid.” While this resonates with African leaders eager for investment over dependency, the USA has not made a credible follow-through. Aid budgets have been slashed, causing panic among NGOs and public health officials. A Lancet study projected that these cuts could lead to over 14 million additional deaths by 2030 if essential healthcare initiatives are defunded.
This has created a paradox: Washington wants to win Africa’s trust, but is not willing to invest in what fosters long-term partnerships— schools, hospitals, civil society. China and Russia, on the other hand, offer infrastructure or security without attaching moral strings.
To many African leaders, this summit felt like smoke and mirrors— a last-minute bid to play catch-up. The Liberian delegation reportedly left Washington humiliated. For all the talk of partnership, the lingering legacy of Trump’s infamous 2018 remark about African nations still stings.
To be sure, there are opportunities. If Washington can invest consistently, partner respectfully, and offer security cooperation without neo-colonial overtones, it can still be a formidable player in Africa. But that requires humility, historical awareness, and long-term vision— all often missing in the transactional diplomacy of current US. foreign policy.
This Africa summit was not merely a lunch. It was a geopolitical inflection point— a sign the USA recognizes it is no longer Africa’s default partner. China and Russia are not just knocking on the door —they’re already inside. If the USA hopes to regain influence, it must do more than chase minerals. It must rebuild trust, honor its words with action, and treat Africa not as a commodity, but as a continent of sovereign partners.
What happens next— whether new mining projects take off, whether migration deals hold, whether security cooperation flourishes— will determine if this was the beginning of a new American engagement, or just another awkward, half-hearted attempt to reclaim lost ground. The race for Africa is on. But it’s not about who arrives first. It’s about who stays the longest— and who listens best.
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