US gives Zambia ultimatum: grant access to minerals or risk losing HIV funding

The Trump administration has informed Zambia that it must provide preferential access to its critical mineral resources for American businesses, or face significant cuts to US health funding.

According to reports, Zambia has until Thursday, April 30, 2026, to respond. Failure to agree could result in the loss of American support for HIV treatment programs that currently serve approximately 1.3 million Zambians.

Zambia is rich in key minerals such as copper, cobalt, and lithium, which are in high global demand for electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies.

Many African nations have long depended on US assistance to fund their healthcare systems. In 2024, African countries received about $5.4 billion in US aid, with a large portion directed toward humanitarian efforts, health programs, and disaster response.

The Trump administration began reducing foreign aid in January 2025 and subsequently dismantled the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of its broader “America First” agenda. This policy emphasizes that US foreign assistance must directly serve American national interests and aims to reduce what the administration views as long-term dependency on aid.

A US aid funding tracker has linked the cuts to increased deaths from manageable diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis, estimating hundreds of thousands of additional fatalities among children and adults.

Other African countries have also experienced the impact of these reductions. In South Africa, the Trump administration has frozen health aid, citing the country’s decision to charge Israel with genocide at the International Criminal Court and certain domestic policies that the US describes as anti-white.

The loss of funding has disrupted essential health services in South Africa, dismantled HIV prevention programs, and halted important joint research collaborations between South Africa and the United States.

This situation highlights the growing tension between humanitarian aid and strategic economic interests in US-Africa relations. As the April 30 deadline approaches, the outcome could have far-reaching consequences for public health across the region.

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