Story highlights The comment came during a UNGA luncheon

"Africa has tremendous business potential," Trump said

New York (CNN) President Donald Trump congratulated a group of African leaders on Wednesday for the level of American investment in the continent, mentioning that he has "so many" friends who are "going to your countries trying to get rich."

The comment came during a luncheon on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York . Leaders from Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, South Africa and a host of other African nations attended the lunch.

"Africa has tremendous business potential," Trump said near the top of his speech. "I have so many friends gong to your countries trying to get rich, I congratulate you. They are spending a lot of money. But it does, it has tremendous business potential."

Trump regularly mentions he and his friends' business ventures in speeches and that has not stopped at the United Nations.

In his first remarks at the United Nations on Monday, Trump's real estate venture was at the top of his mind.

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