A rare and closely watched meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and five West African heads of state has dominated headlines across the region, as leaders from Mauritania, Senegal, Liberia, Benin, and Ghana gathered in Washington to discuss economic partnerships and pressing geopolitical challenges.
According to the Mauritanian News Agency, President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani showcased his country’s economic potential during the closed-door talks with Trump, highlighting Mauritania’s natural resources and strategic role in regional stability.
“He expressed his deep gratitude for the invitation extended to them and praised the American president’s efforts towards peace, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” the agency reported.
In Liberia, the meeting was framed as a key moment for economic diplomacy.
The Liberian Observer reported that President Joseph Boakai used a luncheon hosted by Trump at the White House to make a strong case for American investment in Liberia’s mineral sector.
Boakai reportedly emphasized the “historical ties between Liberia and the United States” and proposed a new era of “mutual benefit and economic cooperation.”
Senegalese media widely covered President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s participation. L’Observateur headlined: “Diomaye sells Senegal to Trump,” while Le Soleil emphasized the president’s appeal for “a new strategic partnership” between Africa and the U.S.
Trump was quoted telling Faye, “You’ve been resilient and you’re doing a fantastic job,” in remarks that drew significant attention across Senegalese outlets. One analyst, however, issued a cautionary note: “Trump is reaching out, but aiming for the map.”
Elsewhere in the region, La Nation in Benin focused on domestic legislative developments, reporting that lawmakers had adopted an amendment to the Constitutional Court law to streamline legal appeal processes.
Togo’s national media highlighted continued German-Togolese collaboration, with 13,000 school textbooks donated by the German Embassy to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
In Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama appointed four new deputy ministers in what government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu confirmed as the final appointments of his term.
The new deputies include Dorcas Afo-Toffey (Transport), James Gyakye Quayson (Foreign Affairs), Mohammed Adam Sukparu (Communication, Technology and Innovation), and Grace Ayensu-Danquah (Health).
Malian daily Le Matin du Mali issued a stark warning regarding the security of private investments amid a wave of terrorist threats, noting that Sahel states—including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudan—are allocating the majority of their resources to defense under what it described as a globally “hypocritical” geopolitical climate.
Meanwhile in Niger, the Niger Press Agency (ANP) announced the launch of a special cement sales initiative in the Niamey region, with plans to distribute 30,000 tons—beginning with 3,329 tons from July 9.
In Guinea, transitional President Mamadi Doumbouya has expanded the mandate of the Ministry of Transport.
According to Guinée News, the department’s new scope now covers land, air, maritime, river, and meteorological sectors, with an emphasis on security, environmental protection, and international cooperation.
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