From June 22 to 25, 2025, Angola is hosting the 17th U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda, under the theme “Pathways to Prosperity: A Shared Vision for U.S.-Africa Partnership.” Organized by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and hosted by the Angolan government, the summit brings together over 1,500 delegates, including heads of state and government from Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Madagascar, Mauritania, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, and host President João Lourenço. The U.S. delegation includes senior officials such as Ambassador Troy Fitrell, head of the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, and representatives from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Export-Import Bank, and U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
Ambassador Fitrell is a key speaker at the event, representing the U.S. government’s commitment to deepening trade and investment ties with African nations.
The leader of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) is Florizelle (Florie) Liser, who serves as the President and CEO of the organization.
The summit focuses on expanding trade, investment, and business relations across critical sectors including energy, infrastructure, agribusiness, healthcare, ICT, and finance. Key discussions will highlight initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and transformative infrastructure projects such as Angola’s Lobito Corridor, which connects several neighboring countries to boost regional integration.
This year’s summit builds on the momentum from the 16th U.S.-Africa Business Summit held in May 2024 in Dallas, Texas, which attracted around 1,600 delegates, including six African heads of state—President Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana), President Faure Gnassingbé (Togo), President Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi), President José Maria Neves (Cape Verde), among others. The Dallas summit resulted in over $1.3 billion in signed deals, focusing on renewable energy, digital trade, health infrastructure, and private sector partnerships, reinforcing the growing economic ties between the U.S. and Africa.
By hosting the 2025 summit, Angola underscores its rising economic influence as a major U.S. trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa and its role as Chair of the African Union. The event serves as a vital platform for African and American leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs to forge new partnerships, foster sustainable development, and deepen commercial collaboration, signaling a renewed commitment to shared prosperity and economic growth across both continents.
Writing on his Facebook, Botswana President, Duma Boko said on arrival:
I’ve arrived in Luanda for the US-Africa Summit, where I will be joining fellow African leaders and global partners to explore new avenues for cooperation, investment, and sustainable development. This summit offers Botswana a key opportunity to strengthen ties with the United States and other African nations, advancing our goals around economic diversification, regional trade, youth empowerment, and innovation. I look forward to engaging in productive dialogue that delivers tangible benefits for our people.
African Presidents and Heads of Government who have confirmed their attendance at the 17th U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda, Angola, June 22–25, 2025, based on multiple sources including the Corporate Council on Africa and news reports:
Confirmed African Heads of State and Government:
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H.E. João Lourenço, President of Angola (Host and African Union Chair)
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H.E. Duma Boko, President of Botswana
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H.E. Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea
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H.E. Brice Oligui Nguema, President of Gabon
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H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana
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H.E. Nadir Larbaoui, Prime Minister of Algeria
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H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia
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H.E. Philip Isdor Mpango, Vice President of Tanzania
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H.E. Sam Matekane, Prime Minister of Lesotho
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Leaders from Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Eswatini, Madagascar, Mauritania, Namibia, and Sao Tome and Principe have also confirmed attendance.
- President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is attending the 17th U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda. She arrived in Angola on June 22, 2025, to participate in the summit.
Officials:
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Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank
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Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD)
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Wamkele Keabetswe Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Confirmed Ministers:
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H.E. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ghana
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H.E. Dhananjay Ramful, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mauritius
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H.E. Basílio Muhate, Minister of Economy, Mozambique
These leaders will engage in high-level dialogues, bilateral meetings, and sector-specific sessions focused on expanding trade, investment, and sustainable economic growth between Africa and the United States. The summit emphasizes key sectors such as infrastructure, energy, healthcare, digital transformation, agribusiness, creative industries, and sustainable finance.
This diverse and high-profile African delegation underscores the strategic importance of the summit as a platform for fostering stronger U.S.-Africa commercial partnerships and advancing continental integration initiatives like AfCFTA.
The U.S. delegation is led by Ambassador Troy Fitrell, head of the Bureau of African Affairs at the State Department, alongside senior officials from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Export-Import Bank, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and others.
This year’s summit follows the successful 2024 event held in Dallas, Texas, which featured six African heads of state and resulted in over $1.3 billion in signed deals, setting a strong precedent for the 2025 summit in Angola.
Ambassador Troy Fitrell, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister Counselor, is the Senior Bureau Official leading the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs.
He recently served as United States Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea. He previously held positions as Director of the Offices of West African Affairs and Southern African Affairs, as Chargé d’Affaires and as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassies in Ethiopia and Mauritius, and as Deputy Director of the Office of International Security Cooperation in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
He served as a Pearson Fellow on the staff of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was a Watch Officer in the Department’s Nuclear Risk Reduction Center. He also served overseas at the U.S. embassies in Portugal, Guatemala, Zambia, Ghana, and Denmark. Fitrell earned a B.A. at the University of Maryland and an M.S. at the National War College.
