Angolan President João Lourenço emphasized the importance of strengthening US-Africa trade relations during a high-level summit in Luanda last week.
He called for a shift from aid-based engagement to mutually beneficial trade and investment, urging a reassessment of existing US tariffs on African exports.
President Lourenço stressed that Africa offers far more than traditional sectors like oil and mineral extraction.
He encouraged US companies to explore high-potential industries such as automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding, tourism, cement production, and steel manufacturing.
“It is time to replace the logic of aid with the logic of investment and trade,” President Lourenço declared.
Echoing his remarks, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, also called for the removal of punitive tariffs and visa restrictions.
Both leaders advocated for more equitable trade policies and joint strategies that enhance US-Africa economic cooperation.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was highlighted as a key mechanism for boosting trade and integration across the continent.
AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene noted that the agreement offers a unique opportunity to reduce market fragmentation, scale up investment, and accelerate industrial growth across Africa.
Overall, the summit spotlighted a growing consensus among African leaders: trade and investment—not aid—are the future of US-Africa relations.
