Zambia wants U.S. deal tying health funding to strategic minerals access to be negotiated separately
Zambia has pushed back against a U.S. proposal to link health funding to access to critical minerals, revealing new details on why negotiations between the two countries have stalled.
Black News 
Zambia has pushed back against a U.S. proposal to link health funding to access to critical minerals, revealing new details on why negotiations between the two countries have stalled.
- Zambia has rejected a U.S. proposal linking health funding to access to its critical minerals.
- The U.S. offered up to $2 billion in health support over five years but tied it to data-sharing provisions, raising privacy concerns.
- Zambia insists that health and mineral agreements should be negotiated separately based on their own merits.
- The Zambian government is wary of granting preferential treatment to U.S. companies in mineral deals.
Zambia has pushed back against a U.S. proposal to link health funding to access to critical minerals, revealing new details on why negotiations between the two countries have stalled.
Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe said the United States had offered up to $2 billion in support over five years under a proposed health agreement. However, he noted that certain data-sharing provisions raised concerns about potential violations of citizens’ privacy rights, Reuters reported.
Minerals pact linkage opposed
Zambia also raised objections to a separate proposed agreement on critical minerals. According to Haimbe, one of the key sticking points is the U.S. effort to tie both agreements together, making progress on the minerals deal conditional on the signing of the health memorandum of understanding.
“The Zambian government has been consistent that these agreements must be considered separately on their respective merits,” he said.
While Haimbe did not specify the exact nature of the health data requested, he indicated that privacy concerns were central to Zambia’s position. On the minerals front, the government is also wary of provisions that could grant preferential treatment to U.S. companies.
Health advocates have previously warned that the proposed deal could link development funding to access to mining while introducing risks related to data sharing. Zambia had earlier stated only that parts of the agreement were not aligned with its national interests.
The dispute comes as several African countries reassess similar agreements under a broader shift in U.S. foreign aid strategy.
Ghana has rejected comparable proposals, citing concerns over data-sharing requirements. Zimbabwe also withdrew from discussions on a $350 million U.S. health funding agreement, citing what it described as unacceptable sovereignty concerns.
