Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has travelled to Luanda, Angola, to represent His Majesty King Mswati III and the Kingdom of Eswatini at the 17th US-Africa Business Summit, which began on Sunday and runs until June 25.
The summit, hosted by Angola and co-organised by the Corporate Council on Africa, has brought together more than 1,500 delegates including African heads of state, prime ministers, ministers, senior US government officials and private sector executives from across both continents.
Dlamini, who was seen off by cabinet colleagues at King Mswati III International Airport, joins high-level African leaders such as President João Lourenço of Angola, Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia, Taye Atske Selassie of Ethiopia, and Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia.
The summit aims to deepen economic partnerships in areas such as infrastructure, energy, agriculture, healthcare, digital technology, and creative industries. One of the major agenda items is the Lobito Corridor railway, which connects Angola with Zambia, the DRC and Tanzania, and is seen as critical to the future of mineral transport across the region.
On the American side, the delegation includes senior officials such as Troy Fitrell of the US State Department, Massad Boulos — advisor to former President Donald Trump — and executives from EXIM Bank, the Development Finance Corporation, and the Trade and Development Agency.
The summit is being held during Angola’s 50th independence anniversary and its current tenure as chair of the African Union. It also follows the December 2024 visit of former US President Joe Biden to Angola.
Discussions are expected to result in public-private partnerships, investment deals and collaborations in infrastructure, health and climate projects. Delegates are participating in a range of activities including closed-door roundtables, plenary sessions, exhibitions and business-to-business meetings.
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