Lobbyists linked to Donald Trump paid millions by world's poorest countries
www.theguardian.com

... 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.

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.

Many states have already begun bartering crucial natural resources -- including minerals -- in exchange for humanitarian or military support, the investigation by Global Witness found.

USAID officially closed its doors last week after Trump's dismantling of the agency, a move experts warn could cause more than 14 million avoidable deaths over five years.

Emily Stewart, Global Witness's head of policy for transition minerals, said the situation meant that deal making in Washington could become "more desperate and less favourable to low-income countries", which had become increasingly vulnerable to brutal exploitation of their natural resources.

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. ...