President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would likely make his first official trip to Africa before his term ends, amid reports of plans by his administration to step back from its involvement in the continent.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump was asked whether he planned to make a visit to the continent, to which he replied: “Sure. I would do that. I would that, absolutely”.

He made the remarks ahead of his departure to a rally in Michigan commemorate his first 100 days in office.

It comes amid reports of the Trump administration's plan to reduce development and diplomatic operations in Africa.

Close embassies

The plan includes closing embassies in Eritrea, Gambia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, and the Central African Republic, along with consulates in Cameroon and South Africa.

Trump's recent trade tariffs signalled the end of the AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) trade deal that was supposed to help African economies develop through preferential access to US markets, according to experts.

In January, Washington froze USAID foreign aid for 90 days.

The cuts have severely impeded health, education, and development initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as HIV/AIDS treatment, malaria prevention, maternal health care, and agricultural assistance.