 Emmerson Mnangagwa |
Zimbabwe, which is reeling from economic sanctions imposed by the US and its allies, has turned to Ballard Partners for strategic consulting and DC advocacy work.
The Trump administration on March 6 extended sanctions, which were imposed in 2003, against more than 100 Zimbabwe officials and institutions, for another year.
Those sanctioned for human rights abuses include former Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe and current president Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zimbabwe’s government called the extension of US sanctions a “travesty of justice against the Zimbabwean people.”
Brian Ballard, former head of Florida’s Trump Victory fundraising group, is lobbying on behalf of Zimbabwe’s minister of foreign affairs.
According to his firm's contract, Zimbabwe lacks access to international financial institutions and is under great diplomatic pressure from western nations.
Ballard’s job is to “encourage a re-examination of Zimbabwe from the State Dept. with a view of establishing the best possible bilateral relationship with the US and facilitating the restoration of Zimbabwe’s membership in the good standing with the community of nations.”
The Zimbabwe contract is worth $1M for two years.
Since Trump’s election, Tallahassee-based Ballard has picked up business from Qatar, Turkish Bank Turkiye Halk Bankasi, Dominican Republic, Maldives, Mali, General Motors, Uber, Democratic Republic of Congo, Democratic Party of Albania and Nigeria.
The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, which has been hit hard by the US/Iran war, has retained Continental Strategy to promote its interests among US policymakers, business leaders and key decision-makers.
Qorvis has signed a $35K per-month agreement to provide strategic communications to Morocco to further its effort to enhance its relationship with the US.
Ontario has retained Capitol Counsel to support its interests related to the free trade agreement between Canada, Mexico and the US. 
Mercury Public Affairs has agreed to perform PR, communications and government relations services for the 
Manchester Trade is working to promote US investment in the minerals-rich Democratic Republic of the Congo.
