Lobbyists linked to Donald Trump paid millions by world’s poorest countries | Somalia, DR Congo and Yemen among states forced to sign deals and barter their minerals for aid or military support

4 comments

1. Submission statement:

   As USAID shut down and US humanitarian assistance has been slashed, low-income countries that are in need of resources and assistance have been paying lobbyists to press their cases with the US president. As the office has largely become one that is a transactional one, it looks that countries that are struggling to survive are being forced to sign unfavorable long term deals particularly around natural resources in order to secure additional aid or military assistance in the short term. These asymmetric deals are likely going to cause economic and social problems for these countries in the long term, even as American lobbyists and corporations extract ever increasing profits from these countries.

2. Some key portions of this report:

   >Some of the world’s poorest countries have started paying millions to lobbyists linked to Donald Trump to try to offset US cuts to foreign aid, an investigation reveals.
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   >Somalia, Haiti and Yemen are among 11 countries to sign significant lobbying deals with figures tied directly to the US president after he slashed US foreign humanitarian assistance.
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   >Many states have already begun bartering crucial natural resources – including minerals – in exchange for humanitarian or military support, the investigation by Global Witness found.
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   >…
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   >Documents show that within six months of last November’s US election, contracts worth $17m (£12.5m) were signed between Trump-linked lobbying firms and some of the world’s least-developed countries, which were among the highest recipients of USAID.
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   >Records submitted under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act reveal some countries signed multiple contracts, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has endured mass displacement and conflict over its mineral wealth for years.
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   >The DRC is primed to sign a mineral deal with the US for support against Rwanda-backed rebels, providing American companies access to lithium, cobalt and coltan.
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   >The DRC – a former top-10 USAID recipient – signed contracts worth $1.2m with the lobbyists Ballard Partners.
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   >The firm, owned by Brian Ballard, lobbied for Trump well before the 2016 US election and was a leading donor to the US president’s political campaign.
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   >…
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   >Access to key natural resources has become a priority for Trump, particularly rare earth minerals. These are considered critical to US security, but the global supply chains for them are dominated by China.
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   >Other nations are offering exclusive access to ports, military bases and rare earths in exchange for US support.
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   >Although Global Witness said the revolving door between governments and lobbyists was nothing new, the organisation said it was concerned by the broader, exploitative dynamics driving new deals.
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   >Stewart said: “We’re seeing a dramatic cut in aid, combined with an explicit rush for critical minerals, and willingness by the Trump administration to secure deals in exchange for aid or military assistance.
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   >“Dealmaking needs to be transparent and fair. It is vital to recognise the role that international aid plays in making a safer world for all, and that aid should retain its distinct role away from trade.”

   It’s pretty clear that the corruption at the white house isn’t affecting just domestic politics but also the relationships with countries around the world. This cannot be good for the long term stability of these nations, and likely will make them increasingly beholden to the United States over time. This in a way is a return to the colonial past where colonies were wholly dependent on colonial powers.

3. I’m surprised at the small size of these contracts

4. We need to be *very* careful and make sure that these deals are equitable and drive development and lift people from poverty. If these deals end up one-sided and massively exploitative (high chance) it’s going to obliterate America’s reputation across the developing world for years to come.

   China is already well ahead of the USA in some areas, like the DRC. Bad deals would fuel China’s efforts.

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