Zambia is nearing the signing of a confidential memorandum of understanding with the United States that would link health sector support to expanded access for American interests in the country’s mineral resources, including copper, gold, and cobalt.
The draft agreement, referred to in official circles as the Zambia US Health Deal, is expected to formalise a long term health financing framework while opening pathways for greater American participation in Zambia’s extractive industries. The arrangement has not yet been confirmed publicly by the government, and key elements remain undisclosed.
Information drawn from the draft indicates that the agreement connects pledged United States health assistance to preferential access for American public and private entities in Zambia’s mining sector. Negotiations over mineral access appear to have shaped the structure of the health package, with economic cooperation positioned as a central pillar of the partnership.
President Hakainde Hichilema announced in November 2025 that Zambia had secured a five year health support package valued at 1.5 billion dollars. However, figures contained in Appendix 1, Table 1 on page 35 of the draft MoU show a total commitment of approximately 1.012 billion dollars. When compared with United States baseline health funding of 439.9 million dollars in fiscal year 2025, the revised total represents a reduction of roughly 237 million dollars per year from previously indicated levels.
Beyond financial terms, the proposed agreement includes detailed provisions on pathogen and specimen sharing. Zambia and the United States would be required to negotiate a specimen sharing arrangement within five days of identifying pathogens with epidemic potential. This would include the exchange of genetic sequence data and epidemiological information. Both parties intend for this arrangement to remain in effect for 25 years.
A separate data sharing framework spanning ten years is also outlined in the draft. This mechanism is designed to monitor the performance of the MoU, track implementation outcomes, and provide reporting structures tied to oversight by the United States Congress.
Concerns have emerged around the length and depth of these data sharing provisions, particularly in relation to genetic and public health information. Similar frameworks in Uganda and Kenya have previously attracted debate, with questions raised about national biosecurity, data ownership, and the long term value returned to host countries.
The agreement further includes a conditional clause that would result in the immediate suspension of all funding if Zambia and the United States fail to finalise a Bilateral Compact by April 1, 2026. That compact, proposed during discussions between President Hichilema and United States Secretary of State Caleb Orr on November 17, 2025, remains confidential but is understood to touch on foreign aid alignment and mining sector cooperation.
The pace of negotiations has drawn attention within government and policy circles. Officials involved in the process were reportedly given limited time to review the draft, raising questions about internal consultation and parliamentary oversight. The MoU had initially been scheduled for signing on December 11, 2025, but that date was later postponed without public explanation.
Subsequent meetings between Secretary of State Orr and Zambian authorities placed emphasis on economic cooperation, particularly in mining, as a prerequisite for the release of health funds. This sequencing has added to the perception that health financing is being used to secure wider economic concessions.
Minister of Justice Princess Kasune declined to comment on the draft agreement, referring queries to Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha. Attempts to obtain a response from the Attorney General’s office were unsuccessful. Requests for clarification sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the President had also not been answered as of January 25, 2026.
Opposition figures and civil society organisations have called for the full text of the MoU to be made public before any ratification process begins. They argue that agreements affecting national resources, health policy, and sovereignty should be subjected to open parliamentary debate rather than concluded through confidential executive processes.
Separately, the Kidney Foundation of Zambia recently warned of a nationwide shortage of renal consumables linked to unpaid debts owed to the sole supplier. While the organisation did not comment directly on the draft MoU, some health sector stakeholders caution that reduced or delayed funding could worsen existing pressure on medical supply chains.
As of the latest reporting date, the government has not issued an official statement confirming or disputing the reported terms of the agreement. With key provisions still under wraps, the proposed Zambia US Health Deal continues to generate questions around transparency, national interest, and the balance between health financing and control over strategic natural resources.
4 years of talking Keep it up
And imagine we are doing geological aerial mapping now so that we know what is in the ground for people to come in our country to come and mine it, take proceeds to their countries and leave you with only salaries, statutory obligations and big holes both above and under ground. You are geological surveying at your own cost for them.
Ubupuba mwebantu!
And you do geological aerial mapping at your cost for people to come and mine it with very little benefits to the country. You even claim GDP is growing when the money in that same GDP is expended out of your country
I have written against geological aerial mapping with what i consider valid reasons provided and I have been moderated out twice
A
B
So they get our minerals and genetic data and “specimens” for 25 years, considering their current president regards Africans as “savage” and “garbage”… I would tend to refuse this kind of thing
Well let’s start acting in a civilised and moral way
Africa the richest continent in the world centuries behind contribute nothing except our precious metals What you think of us
Tikki enjoy the craic while you can buddy
You left out that he considers Africans as citizens of shiithole countries
Total confusion
Even if you moderate me, i dont loose anything, you loose instead both LT and styopet shushushu
When i said this geomapping ariel survey of our minerals will favour foreigners more than ourselves. I was moderated out by LT. Senseless
They are too shallow not to know that if they moderate you here, you can find other means to communicate. They kept moderating us here but we won hands down in Chawama. What if opposition had put up a more united force, was it not going to be a white wash
Mr. President. Tell them NO and ask them to pack their bags without bothering you about this issue again. Over this issue, Mr. President, you might end up losing a lot of votes. If you are not be careful and transparent. Our minerals are not for the American children but Zambian children.
Votes are already lost. After 4 years of hell run – loadshedding, high cost of living, lies, bill 7, no medicines, shrinking democratic space – no political rallies, self praise and sheer propaganda
Load shedding my behind, even without drought Zambia was going to suffer from that because no developmental structures to provide enough electricity, nothing is wrong with bill 7.
Is this a President who can say No to the US
This is not the 1960’s why not take more control of your minerals and buy your health care from anywhere you like. They are just bullying you. Time to grow up Zambia. I hope people will let the government know how they feel about this. It does not cost America anything because aid was more than this. Trump won’t be there for ever twenty months by the time this is signed.
Why indeed, 60 years later, can’t we use our minerals right here where they are? Nitulo twabwanji utu kansi?
I always tell you that HH is sick in his head …why are you even calling it “AID”…its not AID….its giving away our precious minerals worth trillions for peanuts….unbelievable…and look at his face grinning like a retard
Whoever bewitched Africa has some serious voodoo…..so HH thinks giving away our minerals in exchange for bread crumbs is a smart idea……HH needs to be voted out of office…he is a dunderhead
Hehehehe
How is he giving away our minerals ??
The USA will still pay market values ,……….
What they want is preferential treatment in allocation of licences , which sounds problematic………….
FWD2041
Danderhead not dunderhead
Laziness….instead of using our Minerals to provide our own Healthcare we prefer to use the begging bowl in exchange for our wealth….what type of thinking is that????
Giving away our minerals for medical aid is the most retarded thing i have ever seen. Do these people in government care about the country? Or they are just concerned with staying in power and enriching themselves? The USA is nobody’s friend. They are an evil empire that will such you dry and discard your carcus
……….
To be clear………..
The USA is not getting our minerals for the money they will provide for healthcare……….
What they want is preferential treatment in licence allocation , seeing the Chinese are well ahead of them in Zambia……….
This is the way Trump is running the USA , he extracts concessions for everything that the USA once provided……….
The problem the USA has is they can’t compete with the Chinese and Indians on cost, in both the………
Pharmaceuticals and mineral extraction industries ….,
They are going nowhere in Africa, that’s why they don’t sell any goods in Africa……..
FWD2041
@Spaka
Then we don’t need the so called “AID”….. Pedophile Trump is destroying America….anything Trump touches ends up in disaster…..you give America an inch they will demand a mile…..before you know it they will invade copperbelt and steal all our minerals
Again………
People who are in the know, who know , know that the USA can not compete in costs of production in Africa with the Chinese and Indians……….
They also know that the Chinese execute infrastructure development at favourable costs knowing their compatriots can get their hands dirty in the field with the locals.,……….
The Americans can’t do this ,…………
Even if they use other people, that just adds to cost of production………..
The Americans are going nowhere in Africa………
Them signing these agreements is in the hope that one day minerals will be discovered that have almost Zero costs of production……….
FWD2041
African mentality…1.convert all factories into Churches and pray every day…2 give away your precious minerals worth trillions in exchange for breadcrumbs….problem solved……and lets build shacks all over our cities and lets litter and throw garbage everywhere….beautiful life indeed…..
I thought America has everything…i thought America doesn’t need to do business with any country…according to Pedophile President Trump…now why do they want access to our minerals
Dont listen to America anymore…they’re the worst criminals and bandits and the most corrupt Country on earth….Trump has just exposed the true colors of America
Spaka gets a new job. From Hamasaka’s Adviser to US Spokesman. Is the salary in dollars? Why all this defence of American policy
I’m not defending US policy……….
It is what it is, right now they can do what they want , they have the money and are lashing out at China where ever they can………
And unfortunately Zambia is one such place and this health fund blackmail is one such method………
I don’t like US methods, but I am a realist and I also realise theirs is a fruitless mission,………
It is so unattainable that the bribe is almost free money…….
Cheap Chinese production costs and labour versatility makes the Chinese almost unstoppable, that’s why even in their backyard of S America, the Chinese are there………
FWD2041
There’s no way the Trump administration can sign anything with an African country that’s beneficial to us.
Wow health for minerals or perish
The fact that this is being done in secret is an indication that it not got at all. Stop it. National agreements of such magnitude ought to be transparent. This is the same as what our forefathers did in signing pieces of paper and giving away their land to colonialists