President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is seeking to attract increased American investment in Liberia’s abundant mineral resource sector, urging U. S. President Donald Trump to look Liberia’s way when it comes to investment.
During a luncheon hosted by President Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, July 9. President Boakai highlighted Liberia’s longstanding friendship with the United States and called for a stronger economic partnership based on mutual benefit.
“Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States,” President Boakai said. “We believe in your policy of making America great again, and we go a long way with you in your diplomacy that promotes economic development and commercial friendship.”
Acknowledging Liberia’s support for America’s economic policies, Boakai commended the Trump administration’s Africa-focused initiatives and urged U.S. assistance for conducting a geological survey of Liberia’s mineral reserves. He emphasized Liberia’s commitment to peace and democratic stability within the region.
“One of the things we ask, as good friends for a long time, is the opportunity to do a survey of our minerals,” he said. “We’d like to see that happen.”
“We are committed to peace, and we’ve been very lucky within our region,” Boakai noted. “We are a country that has had a series of democratic elections, and our country has been cooling down.”
President Trump, impressed by Boakai’s remarks, jokingly inquired about his eloquent English language delivery. “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” Trump asked. When Boakai responded that he was educated in Liberia, Trump replied: “That’s very interesting. It’s beautiful English.”
The U.S. President reiterated his administration’s emphasis on trade over aid in its relations with African nations, highlighting the importance of trade for resolving disputes.
“We’re shifting from aid, or A.I.D., as we sometimes call it, right to trade,” Trump noted. “Trade seems to be a foundation I’ve been able to settle a lot of these disputes on.”
The luncheon, attended by leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal, addressed topics such as defense cooperation, immigration, and economic growth.
During the lunch, Trump said the five leaders come from “very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, great oil deposits and wonderful people”.
“There’s a lot of anger on your continent. We’ve been able to solve a lot of it,” Trump said, pointing to a recent peace agreement leaders ofthe Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda recently signed at the White House.
Trump encouraged African nations to invest in defense, emphasizing the quality of U.S.-made equipment. The event concluded with discussions on peace agreements and security cooperation in the region, with leaders expressing support for U.S. involvement in promoting peace and security in Africa.
President Trump is expected to announce the dates for a broader summit with African leaders, potentially in September around the time of the United Nations General Assembly.
The ongoing summit reflects a continued effort by successive U.S. administrations to address concerns that the country has not prioritized its engagement with Africa, especially as China has expanded its economic presence on the continent.
During the meeting, Gabon’s President Brice Oligui Nguema expressed his country’s openness to investment and emphasized the need for energy infrastructure to process its abundant raw mineral resources locally. Nguema highlighted the importance of forming partnerships that benefit both sides in the development of these resources.
Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye mentioned investment opportunities in tourism, including a proposed golf course that would be easily accessible from New York. Faye invited President Trump to showcase his golfing skills at the course.
While the five nations represented in the meeting hold significant untapped natural mineral resources, there are concerns within the African Union about deepening trade ties with the U.S. due to perceived unfair tariff proposals and visa restrictions impacting travelers from Africa.
The U.S. has rebutted allegations of unfair trade practices, with Ambassador Troy Fitrell asserting the U.S.’s commitment to equitable trade partnerships.
