WASHINGTON, May 1 – The United States has raised concerns over Zambia’s failure to finalize a new health cooperation agreement covering more than $1 billion, after negotiations missed an end-April deadline.
The proposed agreement is intended to guide support for critical health programs, including HIV treatment, malaria control, maternal and child healthcare, and epidemic preparedness. Without it, coordination and long-term planning for these initiatives remain uncertain.
Outgoing U.S. ambassador Michael Gonzales said Washington’s repeated attempts to engage Zambian officials had yielded little response, leaving funding to continue on a stopgap basis without a structured implementation plan.
The delay has drawn scrutiny from civil society groups, some of which have questioned whether the arrangement could be tied to access to strategic minerals or involve sensitive data-sharing provisions. Gonzales dismissed those claims, saying U.S. assistance is not contingent on resource-related concessions.
Zambia’s presidential spokesperson Clayson Hamasaka said the government values its partnership with Washington and remains open to engagement, but stressed that discussions should proceed through established diplomatic processes.
The impasse follows earlier tensions after the U.S. reduced aid in response to the mismanagement of donated medicines, highlighting governance challenges in Zambia’s health sector.
A draft of the agreement indicates that Zambia would be expected to contribute roughly $340 million in counterpart funding. Gonzales said the lack of meaningful dialogue since January, including missed meetings and limited follow-up, had stalled progress on finalizing the deal.
While the U.S. reiterated its commitment to continuing essential health services, including the provision of antiretroviral drugs and programs to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, it signaled that broader, long-term funding will depend on stronger engagement and policy reforms.
