Trump hosts West African leaders as the region reels from sweeping US aid cuts
Briefly

President Donald Trump is hosting leaders from Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, and Guinea-Bissau to explore economic development, security, infrastructure, and democracy. The meeting coincides with the Trump administration's controversial decision to dissolve the U.S. Agency for International Development, shifting from traditional foreign aid to commercial partnerships with self-reliant nations. Officials assert this change aims to mitigate trade deficits with Africa while critics warn it may lead to significant humanitarian crises, including millions of additional deaths by 2030 due to reduced support in regions reliant on U.S. aid.
The leaders are expected to discuss key areas of cooperation including economic development, security, infrastructure and democracy, according to a statement from Liberia's presidency.
Earlier this month, U.S. authorities dissolved the U.S. Agency for International Development and said it was no longer following what they called 'a charity-based foreign aid model' and instead will focus on partnerships with nations that show 'both the ability and willingness to help themselves.'
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
[
|
]