Donald Trump has informed Zambia that it must offer preferential access to its minerals to the US or face a significant reduction in healthcare funding, affecting millions of individuals.
Zambia has until Thursday, April 30 to decide whether to grant US businesses special access to its mineral resources. Failure to do so may result in the withdrawal of support for 1.3 million people who depend on US funding for HIV treatment.
HIV is a virus that weakens the immune system, making it challenging to combat infections. US aid plays a crucial role in providing antiretroviral treatment, which inhibits the virus’s replication and facilitates immune system recovery.
Zambia possesses valuable resources such as copper, cobalt, and lithium.
African nations have traditionally relied on US aid to meet their healthcare expenses. Reports indicate that African countries received $5.4 billion in US assistance in 2024, primarily allocated to humanitarian, health, and disaster relief efforts.
In January 2025, the Trump administration slashed funding and disbanded the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Consequences of the cuts include over half a million child and nearly a quarter-million adult deaths from treatable diseases like HIV and tuberculosis.
The aid reductions align with Trump’s “America First” policy, emphasizing that foreign assistance must directly benefit US national interests and combat dependency on aid.
Several African countries have already experienced the repercussions of reduced US aid.
South Africa, for instance, lost health aid from the Trump administration due to accusations of genocide against Israel at the International Criminal Court, as well as policies deemed anti-white by the US. This loss has disrupted health services, dismantled HIV prevention programs, and hindered South Africa-US collaborative research efforts.