Senegalese Teranga (i.e. Hospitality)

I couldn't help but notice the disparity between the Senegalese and American hospitality traditions while we were touring diverse offices in Dakar. When our group visited Senegalese-run offices like the Christian Children's Fund office in Thiès and at the Direction de l'Entreprenariat Feminin - part of the Senegalese Ministry for Family - we were automatically offered small snacks (groundnuts, croissants or brioche and coffee/tea) by smiling people. The reception at the local USAID office however stood in stark contrast to the hospitality shown by Senegalese officials: annoying security checks entering the premisces, escort/shadowing by USAID staff while in the building and most notably, a total lack of refreshments for our long meetings in a steaming office. One may argue that there is a rationale for the different treatment by claiming that the Senegalese offices we visited welcomed us gratefully because we were a U.S. group from which they may expect some positive fallout, but then is there no interest for USAID in welcoming a bunch of International Development students and scholars? I still wonder....