SPECIAL REPORT | AfricaHeadline Investigative
17th US-Africa Summit in Luanda: Africa Demands a New Global Equation Based on Fair Investment, Sovereignty and Real Transformation
By AfricaHeadline – June 2025 | International Investigative Journalism
LUANDA – For four days, the Angolan capital became the epicentre of a new chapter in global economic geopolitics. The 17th US-Africa Business Summit, hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) in partnership with the Government of Angola, was more than just a high-level meeting, it marked a narrative shift. Africa made it clear: the era of being seen merely as a supplier of raw materials is over. The new call is for transformation.
By Nthabi NEO Lesufi, Journalist
AfricaHeadline.com
The summit brought together more than 1,500 participants, including Heads of State, multinational CEOs, finance ministers, and representatives from the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank. Angola’s role as host country, particularly during its 50th anniversary of independence, underlined the continent’s assertion of sovereignty and its push for a fair, industrial-led development agenda.
More than 80 thematic sessions were held, covering green finance, regional value chains, food security, and digital transformation. The depth and diversity of the discussions confirmed that Africa is now not just participating in the global development debate, it is setting the terms.
The day closed with a symbolic cultural gala at the historic Fortress of São Miguel, celebrating Africa’s fusion of tradition and innovation, and reinforcing the message that the continent is no longer just about future potential, it is a present force in motion.
President João Lourenço delivered a powerful opening speech, calling for a genuine shift in the Africa-US relationship. “Africa is a credible partner, but it lacks capital and know-how,” he said, urging the United States to engage the continent “with respect and shared ambition.” Lourenço was clear: Africa is no longer looking for aid, it is demanding strategic investment, technology transfer, and respect for national sovereignty.
His remarks were marked by an unusually assertive geopolitical tone. Citing projects such as the Lobito Corridor and expanding special economic zones, he challenged African nations to stop merely extracting resources and instead transform them locally to add value and create jobs.
Lourenço also emphasised that Africa is not asking for charity. Instead, it is demanding fair financing terms, greater access to technologies, and recognition of its sovereign right to shape its own economic path. His appeal was well received by leaders from the African Union and the African Development Bank, who hailed Angola as a “model of transitional stability.”
The Angolan leader’s remark that the US never colonised Africa, and therefore can build an “unburdened” relationship with the continent, positioned him as a key voice advocating for a new global economic order rooted in equity and African dignity.
In a panel titled “Investment Opportunities in Angola,” Minister of State for Economic Coordination José de Lima Massano impressed attendees with a confident message: Angola now guarantees full capital repatriation rights, protects private property, and offers strong tax incentives beyond Luanda. “Our economic model is designed to open doors, decentralise growth and generate real employment,” he stated.
Massano highlighted that Angola’s 3.5% GDP growth in Q1 2025 was the result of structural reforms and prudent monetary policy. He cited currency unification, lower interest rates, and a revitalised commercial banking sector as key components of Angola’s economic recovery.
He also announced forthcoming reforms, including full digitisation of customs procedures, the creation of specialised commercial courts, and the launch of the “Angola Investment Gateway,” a digital portal to streamline foreign direct investment.
Massano underscored that investors no longer need to “wait for stability”, it is already in place. Recent FDI inflows in renewable energy, infrastructure, agritech, and fintech, many led by young Angolan entrepreneurs, are proof that confidence is returning.
Outgoing African Development Bank president Akinwumi Adesina announced a landmark $1.5 billion package for the Lobito Corridor, a project poised to become a continental logistics and transformation hub for critical minerals and manufactured goods. Adesina criticised the United States for its modest financial commitment to Africa, with only 6.6% of global infrastructure investment reaching the continent, according to Moody’s.
He called the Lobito Corridor the “Suez Canal of Southern Africa,” linking Zambia and the DRC’s mining belts to the Atlantic coast. The project includes rail lines, port terminals, and industrial parks, forming a backbone for intra-African and global trade.
AfDB funds will support railway expansion, grain silos, mineral processing plants, and logistics hubs for agro-industrial products. “This is the type of investment that reshapes a continent’s economic geography,” Adesina said.
He challenged the US to move beyond risk-averse strategies and invest based on Africa’s real opportunities. “There is no development without financing. And there is no sustainable financing without long-term political will,” he concluded.
AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene stressed that “production, not just trade, must be at the centre of Africa’s economic future.” With 49 member states, the AfCFTA is projected to create a unified African market worth $16.1 trillion by 2050. “We need fewer promises and more factories,” Mene stated.
The agreement is becoming the backbone of Africa’s economic architecture. It includes protocols on fair competition, green investment, intellectual property and digital governance, policies designed to strengthen Africa’s integration and competitiveness.
AfCFTA has already reduced up to 90% of tariffs on intra-African trade, boosting the movement of processed goods by 12% in 2024. This structural shift is essential for industrialisation and intra-African commerce.
Mene also called for the creation of an African credit rating agency to replace Western models that “unfairly downgrade” African economies, making borrowing costlier and investment riskier than it truly is.
Corporate Council on Africa President Florizelle Liser reminded delegates that prosperity depends not just on agreements but on consistent follow-through. “It’s about stable relationships, mutual trust, and long-term commitments,” she said, addressing an audience of African leaders and American investors.
She warned against focusing solely on traditional sectors like mining and oil, and urged attention to innovation, education, green finance, and digital technologies. Nations that embrace youth, talent, and sustainability will lead the future, she said.
Liser also praised Angola for hosting the summit and for its business-friendly reforms. “Countries that improve their business environment can better attract venture capital, generate jobs and fight poverty with dignity,” she added.
Ethiopian President Taye Selassie urged direct investment in cotton, wheat and avocado production. “We want to process these ourselves, not just export raw materials,” he said. His call aligns with AfCFTA’s aim to strengthen regional value chains and create skilled jobs.
Côte d’Ivoire Prime Minister Robert Mambé noted his country is a top producer of cocoa and cashew, but stressed that “100% of these must be processed locally.” The government is offering tax breaks, building agro-industrial zones and expanding road networks to support this industrial shift.
Eswatini’s Prime Minister Russel Dlamini promoted the country’s agro-food sector, saying its sugar already meets EU standards and is ready for the US market. He cited the country’s clean energy policies, efficient logistics and female-led supply chains as proof that Eswatini is investment-ready.
African Union Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf delivered one of the summit’s most forceful interventions, condemning US visa restrictions on African entrepreneurs. “How can we do business if our people can’t even enter your country?” he asked, drawing strong applause.
He also criticised exploitative trade tariffs that undermine African exports, dismissing AGOA’s limited impact. “The global trade system is rigged. It was built to keep Africa a raw-material exporter,” he said, calling for urgent reform of WTO rules.
Youssouf concluded that Africa is no longer on its knees. “We are building an industrialised continent, with a skilled youth, growing infrastructure, and strategic vision. We demand equity, access, and respect, not charity.”
The 2025 US-Africa Summit in Luanda marked a turning point in the continent’s global narrative. The old model of development aid gave way to a new demand for economic justice, sovereignty, and opportunity. The message was clear: Africa is not poor, it’s resource-rich, but unfairly constrained.
President João Lourenço’s statement that the US must approach Africa with an “unburdened perspective” was both an invitation and a diplomatic challenge. The continent is ready to be treated as a first-tier global partner, not a testing ground for external interests.
The summit ended with over 25 memorandums signed, $6 billion in investment commitments, and a renewed promise of meaningful partnership. But for the US-Africa relationship to truly evolve, action, not rhetoric, must lead the way.
