Mary Nnah

In a recent speech during his visit to Saudi Arabia, U.S. President Donald Trump praised the Gulf nation for achieving prosperity by relying on its own people, culture, and vision free from Western dependence.
His remarks, according to a press release made available to THISDAY, echo the core philosophy of African economic strategist King Charles Lambert, who champions an “Economic War” for Africa’s independence built on self-reliance and home-grown development.

While not a direct endorsement, Trump’s emphasis on national self-determination resonates with Lambert’s long-standing advocacy for an Africa-led economic renaissance, signaling a convergence of views on the importance of sovereignty and internal empowerment in economic growth.

“The people of Saudi Arabia built their country not through the help of Europeans or Westerners, but by embracing their own heritage and unique vision,” Trump stated. “The transformation of the Middle East wasn’t driven by Western interventionists giving lectures on governance. It was the people of the region who shaped their own sovereign futures.”

Trump emphasized that the impressive development of cities like Riyadh and Abu Dhabi was not the product of foreign-led “nation building” or liberal policy makers, but of local leadership and vision. He cited the failures of external intervention in Kabul and Baghdad as examples of misguided foreign policy.

“In the end, so-called ‘nation-builders’ have destroyed more nations than they’ve built,” he added. “They interfered in societies they didn’t understand and failed to create lasting development.”

These highly resonate with the mission of King Charles Lambert, founder of the Compassionate Capitalism CEO Forum, a pan-African initiative aiming to ignite a continent-wide economic revolution. Lambert’s approach is rooted in Intentional venture Capital and the ancient African philosophy of Ubuntu, which translates to “humanity toward others” and affirms that “I am because we are.”

For over 15 years, Lambert has been calling on Africans to reclaim their economic sovereignty by investing in indigenous solutions, local leadership, and community-driven progress. The CEO Forum is at the forefront of this effort, empowering trained professionals from six essential sectors that are integral to the economic system.

The six key sectors include digital marketing, human resources, project management, logistics management, Afrowood media production agencies, and event management. These areas are crucial to enabling Africa’s next wave of corporate development.

Many of these professionals are with no prior business ownership and will take charge as CEOs of key African economic regions, each managing development in areas covering 30 million people.

This innovative initiative is guided by the principles of Compassionate Capitalism, a business model that merges economic ambition with empathy and social impact.

Lambert’s vision aligns with the broader home-grown development principles gaining traction across Africa: promoting self-reliance, cultural relevance, sustainability, and inclusive growth rooted in African identity and values.

Describing the movement as an “economic war”, King Lambert is leading a nonviolent campaign to liberate Africa from economic dependency and foreign control. This war is fought not with arms, but with business ideas, African ideas designed to restore dignity, unity, and prosperity to the continent.

With Trump’s unexpected but timely statement, the Compassionate Capitalism CEO Forum gains international validation, highlighting the growing recognition that Africa’s future lies not in external rescue, but in African-led transformation and the CEO Forum is here to build that future.