Details
Zambia and the United States are locked in a public dispute over a proposed health funding agreement covering major disease programs, including HIV/AIDS support.
The feud escalated after outgoing US Ambassador Michael Gonzales accused Zambia’s government of corruption and negotiating in bad faith. The State Department later said his comments did not reflect its position.
Zambia’s foreign minister, Mulambo Haimbe, said critical minerals had become a major obstacle in the talks. Washington denied that the proposed health agreement was conditional on access to Zambia’s mining sector.
The minerals issue matters because Zambia is one of the world’s major copper producers and also has reserves of lithium and cobalt. Analysts cited in the reporting say the US is trying to expand access for American companies in a sector where China currently dominates.
The dispute also reflects Trump’s broader effort to replace USAID-style assistance with a more transactional “America First” aid model. The administration says recipient countries should take on more of their own health funding and meet clearer benchmarks.
The model is already facing resistance elsewhere. Ghana and Zimbabwe have turned down similar agreements, while Kenya signed one that is now being challenged in court.
What Else
The row could complicate Washington’s effort to recast foreign aid around reciprocity, accountability and US strategic interests. It may also increase scrutiny over whether health funding is being used as leverage in countries with minerals critical to the global energy transition.
