Published: July 9, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Wednesday made a direct appeal for increased American investment in his country's vast mineral wealth, as he joined a select group of African leaders at a luncheon hosted by U.S. President Donald J. Trump at the White House.
Speaking during the high-level gathering, President Boakai emphasized Liberia's historic ties with the United States and used the occasion to call for a stronger commercial partnership grounded in mutual benefit.
"Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States," President Boakai said. "We believe in your policy of making America great again, and we go a long way with you in your diplomacy that promotes economic development and commercial friendship."
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Boakai praised the Trump administration's renewed focus on Africa and urged U.S. support for a geological survey of Liberia's mineral resources. "One of the things we ask, as good friends for a long time, is the opportunity to do a survey of our minerals," he said. "We'd like to see that happen."
Liberia, a West African nation founded by formerly enslaved people repatriated from the United States, has often described itself as "America's oldest ally on the continent."
"We are committed to peace, and we've been very lucky within our region," Boakai noted. "We are a country that has had a series of democratic elections, and our country has been cooling down."
President Trump, who returned to office in January, applauded Boakai's remarks and was visibly impressed by his fluency. "Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?" Trump asked, prompting laughter in the room. When Boakai responded that he was educated in Liberia, Trump replied: "That's very interesting. It's beautiful English."
Trump used the event to underscore his administration's shift from aid to trade across the African continent. "We're shifting from aid - or AID, as we sometimes call it - right to trade," the U.S. president said. "Trade seems to be a foundation I've been able to settle a lot of these disputes on."
The luncheon brought together heads of state from Liberia, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, and Senegal. It came on the heels of a Trump-brokered peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda - a breakthrough that drew widespread praise from the visiting leaders, who also urged him to replicate such diplomacy in Sudan, Libya, and the Sahel.
"Your work in favor of peace has been tremendous," said Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, the President of Mauritinia. "And we want to work with the United States in peace and security within the region because we are committed to that."
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The working lunch also addressed issues of defense cooperation, immigration, and economic growth. Trump, in characteristic style, urged the African nations to invest more in defense, particularly by purchasing U.S.-made equipment, which he claimed was "the best in the world."
When asked by an African journalist whether he planned to visit Africa during his second term, Trump replied, "At some point, I would like to go to Africa. Absolutely."
Boakai, 80, who assumed office in January 2024 after defeating incumbent George Weah, has prioritized institutional reform, anti-corruption, and renewed international engagement.
