The 17th U.S.–Africa Business Summit emphasised the importance of strengthening the private sector, growing regional economies, and leveraging technology to advance infrastructure development.
Angola's President João Lourenço officially opened the three-day event in Luanda.
The U.S.–Africa Business Summit focuses on enhancing trade, investment and business ties between African nations and the United States, while also fostering long-term partnerships beyond economics.
Over the past 25 years, the summit has expanded, strengthening cross-market connections.
This year's emphasis is on the private sector and how governments are enabling business growth, with key discussions on the global economy, infrastructure investment and especially digital transformation.
President Lourenço highlighted the importance of strengthening African economies through ICT, infrastructure, agriculture, and trade, both in Angola and across the continent.
He stressed the vital role of technology in driving sustainable development, noting that valuable lessons can be drawn from the U.S. experience.
Speakers at the summit emphasised the critical role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in deepening continental integration and ensuring the continuity of trade between Africa and the United States, particularly as the African Growth and Opportunity Act approaches its expiration.
Participants emphasised that the AfCFTA must be ambitious and transformative, noting that the continent has long suffered from the impacts of underdevelopment, fragmented markets, and limited industrialisation.
There was also a strong call for reform-oriented implementation, with an emphasis on policy coherence, institutional capacity building and private sector engagement.
Changing reforms, particularly those that foster investment and regional value chains, were seen as essential to the agreement's success.
The Summit brought together global government leaders, business executives, and private sector stakeholders from across Africa and the United States.