KEY POINTS
- AU hires U.S. lobbyists to push for lifting Zimbabwe sanctions.
- Trump’s administration may be more open to AU’s request.
- Zimbabwe seeks to counter China’s influence and boost U.S. trade.
The African Union’s (AU) mission to the United States has taken steps to push for the removal of targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe by hiring a Florida-based lobbying firm, Ford and London Global Strategies.
A Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filing from December 2024 confirms that the AU has engaged the lobbyists in hopes of renewing U.S.-Zimbabwe relations under President Donald Trump’s administration.
AU Ambassador to the U.S., Hilda Suka-Mafudze, expressed through written correspondence to the firm that sanctions removal would produce advantages for both nations ,that would lead to enhanced economic relations as well as business possibility.
The AU views Trump administration as more likely to grant their petitions in contrast to Biden’s administration.
Strategic partnerships and countering China’s influence
One of the key arguments Suka-Mafudze is presenting to U.S. officials is that removing sanctions would allow the U.S. to secure vital resources in Zimbabwe, particularly critical minerals.
According to New Zimbabwe, she also framed the proposal as aligning with Trump’s “America First” policy, suggesting that U.S. businesses could be given priority in trade and investment deals.
Additionally, she positioned Zimbabwe as a strategic counterweight to China’s growing presence in Southern Africa.
“Aligning with Zimbabwe could counterbalance China’s influence and open avenues for U.S. investments in agriculture, mining, and infrastructure,” she wrote.
China remains one of Zimbabwe’s largest trading partners, with bilateral trade exceeding $3.8 billion in 2024, according to the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe.
U.S. sanctions history and Zimbabwe’s economic challenges
The U.S. first imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2001 under the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA), citing allegations of political repression, election rigging, land seizures, and corruption under former President Robert Mugabe.
While former U.S. President Joe Biden lifted broad sanctions in March 2024, his administration then imposed new targeted sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Program, affecting 11 individuals and three entities.
Among those sanctioned were Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
The U.S. has denied accusations that these sanctions have caused Zimbabwe’s economic struggles, maintaining that only a select group of individuals and entities are affected.
With Zimbabwe and the AU pushing for full sanctions removal, the success of this lobbying effort remains to be seen.
