President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is among five African heads of state invited to a high-level summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, aimed at strengthening U.S.-Africa relations through targeted economic and security partnerships.
The summit, scheduled for July 9–11, 2025, is being described as Trump’s first major diplomatic outreach to Africa since returning to the political spotlight. According to reporting by Africa Intelligence, the exclusive event will focus on commercial diplomacy, critical minerals cooperation, and regional security, with an eye on reshaping U.S. engagement on the continent.
The gathering is expected to bring together five African heads of state: President Joseph Nyuma Boakai of Liberia, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, and President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau.
This closed-door summit will mark the Trump administration’s first major diplomatic outreach to Africa since Trump’s return to the global political scene. Preparations are already underway through the U.S. State Department, in coordination with the embassies of the participating nations.
“This summit represents a unique opportunity for Liberia to elevate its strategic dialogue with the United States, particularly around investment, natural resources, and regional security,” a Liberian foreign ministry official said, speaking anonymously due to protocol.
Liberia’s inclusion on the short list of invitees underscores its growing geopolitical relevance. With rich reserves of iron ore, gold, lithium, and other critical minerals, Liberia is increasingly viewed as a key player in global supply chains for clean energy technologies and digital infrastructure—areas of high strategic interest to the United States.
According to diplomatic sources, the summit will place commercial diplomacy front and center, with emphasis on securing U.S. access to Africa’s critical mineral reserves, many of which are concentrated in countries like Gabon and Liberia.
“Washington is clearly recalibrating its approach to Africa, moving beyond aid to strategic partnerships focused on trade, minerals, and security,” noted a senior African diplomat familiar with the summit’s planning.
In addition, Liberia’s growing role in regional peace and security, particularly in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea, will be part of the agenda. The U.S. is concerned about the spread of jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel and transnational drug trafficking networks, especially in fragile states such as Guinea-Bissau.
Alongside the July summit, the Trump administration is ramping up diplomatic efforts on the continent. On June 27, U.S. officials facilitated the signing of a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo—mediated by their foreign ministers under U.S. supervision.
Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC are also expected in Washington by mid-July to formally sign the accord, with Trump expected to oversee the ceremony.
Furthermore, the U.S. hopes to increase its involvement in Sudan’s peace process, as the country remains mired in a protracted and deadly civil conflict now entering its third year.
One notable absence from the guest list is Ivory Coast, a key regional power. According to sources, the decision not to invite President Alassane Ouattara stems from concerns in Washington over the country’s upcoming presidential election in October 2025.
Ouattara has yet to confirm whether he will seek a fourth term, and the exclusion of several opposition candidates from the race has sparked warnings about the election’s credibility.
“The U.S. is carefully watching developments in Ivory Coast,” said an official at the U.S. State Department. “Democratic principles and inclusive elections remain central to our diplomatic engagements.”
A ministerial delegation from Abidjan is reportedly heading to Washington in the coming days to clarify the situation and potentially repair strained relations ahead of the U.N. General Assembly in September.
President Boakai’s participation in the July summit offers Liberia a unique opportunity to deepen U.S. ties at a time when strategic influence in Africa is being hotly contested by global powers.
Liberia is expected to use the summit to lobby for increased U.S. investment in infrastructure, mining, energy, and fisheries, as well as to explore partnerships on security reform, border control, and anti-corruption measures.
The summit will be held just weeks before the broader U.S.-Africa Leaders Dialogue, expected to take place in New York in September on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly. However, this earlier July summit, focused on just five countries, underscores a clear shift toward targeted, strategic diplomacy—and places Liberia in a privileged position.
“For Liberia, this is a defining moment to strengthen its global partnerships and attract transformative investment,” said a government insider. “It also affirms President Boakai’s growing international recognition as a trusted democratic leader in the region.”
