Written by: The Fatu Network Newsroom
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye met with U.S. President Donald J. Trump in Washington today, 9 July, during a high-level summit with four other African leaders focused on trade, energy, and strategic cooperation. The three-day summit, held behind closed doors, is aimed at strengthening U.S.–Africa economic ties.
Seated across a long conference table from President Trump and members of his cabinet, President Faye was joined by four other African heads of state participating in the summit:
•Joseph Nyuma Boakai of Liberia
•Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon
•Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania
•Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau
In his remarks, Faye praised U.S. efforts in conflict resolution, referencing Trump’s involvement in peace initiatives. “You said that this put an end to a long war that claimed many lives, and thankfully, you were here to put an end to this 30-year war,” he said, in reference to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Faye voiced support for peace across the continent: “Africa supports all efforts to bring back peace to Sudan, Libya, and in the Sahel,” he said. “As you’ve seen, you can only do business when there is peace and security, and you build peace everywhere in the world so that there can be better investments.”
Turning to investment opportunities in Senegal, Faye highlighted recent energy discoveries and ongoing reforms. “I want to reassure all American investors about our country’s political stability and our favourable regulatory environment, which we are continuously improving upon in order to attract more investment.”
He mentioned two specific projects: “Some 950 billion cubic metres of gas that we can tap into in order to support our economy. And again, here we were able to do this with an American company.”
He also extended an invitation to U.S. tech firms: “We identified a space within the city of Dakar. It has a view of the sea. It’s on some 40 hectares, and this is a great opportunity for American tech companies to come in and make Dakar a tech city open to Africa.”
In a lighter moment, Faye referenced Trump’s well-known love of golf: “Golf requires concentration and precision, qualities that also make for a great leader,” he said, before suggesting, “perhaps an investment could be made in a golf course in Senegal. It would just be six hours by flight from New York, from Miami, from Europe, or from the Gulf.”
President Trump responded with warmth and praise. “He looks like a very young person. He’s a little older than he looks, but a fantastic job. He was treated very unfairly by his government and he prevailed,” Trump said. “So congratulations on that. Really congratulations, a great job.”
The summit, which continues through 11 July, includes private discussions at the White House and beyond, focusing on energy, infrastructure, security, and economic development. The presence of the five African leaders reflects a shift toward deepening commercial partnerships between the United States and key states across the West African region.
