US President Donald Trump is meeting five African leaders at the White House on Wednesday, July 8.

The presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon are expected to meet with Trump to discuss commerce and trade.

Although these small economies, are rich in mineral resources including oil and gas, gold, iron ore, and rare earth elements. The West and Central African nations are also a common departure point for would-be migrants to the US. Discussions at the Trump-hosted gathering will extend beyond commerce, 

Officials from the countries have told AFP that they expect talks to centre on trade, investment and security, amongst other topics. But few concrete details have emerged as to the White House’s intentions.

The meeting comes as the Trump administration is focused on tariffs and trade deals, and as it seeks to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals.

But the five nations lack the extreme mineral wealth of other African countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The meeting is taking place just days after the Trump administration celebrated the formal shuttering of the US foreign aid agency USAID, trumpeting the move as an end to the “charity-based model”.

Officials from the five countries who spoke to AFP seemed keenly aware of the White House agenda.

Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai accepted the invitation with an eye on no longer being “solely (an) aid recipient”, his press secretary Kula Fofana told AFP on Tuesday.

“Our interest is to look more to trade and engagement partners who will invest,” she said.

Gabonese presidential spokesman Theophane Biyoghe said the meeting marked a chance for synergies “centred around the industrialisation of our economy”.

No press appearances are scheduled for Wednesday’s meeting.