U.S. President, Donald Trump, is set to host leaders from five African nations in Washington next week for a high-level meeting focused on trade, investment, and economic cooperation.

A White House official confirmed on Wednesday that Trump will meet with the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal at the White House on July 9 for discussions followed by a luncheon.

Naijaonpoint gathered that the president of Nigeria was not included in the list.

“President Trump believes that African countries offer incredible commercial opportunities which benefit both the American people and our African partners,” the official stated, explaining the motivation behind the summit.

The summit is confirmed to hold between July 9 and 11.

The Trump administration has significantly reduced traditional U.S. foreign aid to African nations, in line with its “America First” doctrine. The shift has seen a move away from aid-based support to a model centred on business and mutual economic benefits.

Speaking on the new direction, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington is phasing out “charity-based” foreign aid in favour of partnerships with countries that show “both the ability and willingness to help themselves.”

In a further sign of the administration’s policy pivot, senior State Department official for African Affairs, Troy Fitrel, disclosed in May that American envoys posted across Africa will now be assessed based on their success in brokering commercial deals.