Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe said the proposed United States health support package, valued at up to $2 billion over five years, contained provisions that raised concerns over personal data handling and privacy protections for Zambian citizens.

He stated that while Zambia welcomed cooperation in the health sector, parts of the agreement risked undermining national legal safeguards on health information and digital records management.

"A further concern... is the coupling of the proposed agreements and frameworks to one another such that the conclusion of the critical minerals agreement is made conditional to the conclusion of the Health MOU,” Haimbe said.

Officials in Lusaka said negotiations had been ongoing for months, focusing on disease response systems, health infrastructure, and funding mechanisms tied to public health delivery.

The Zambian government also raised objections to a separate draft framework on critical minerals, which includes copper and other strategic resources central to the country’s export economy.

According to Haimbe, one of the main points of disagreement relates to provisions that would grant preferential operational treatment to US companies in the mining sector, a condition Zambia argues could distort competitive access.

"Regarding the critical minerals agreement, he said Zambia was reluctant to accept the terms due to an insistence on preferential treatment for US companies.”

Officials say Zambia’s position is grounded in maintaining regulatory authority over strategic assets while ensuring that foreign investment aligns with domestic development priorities and legal frameworks governing resource extraction.

Tensions also escalated following remarks by outgoing US ambassador Michael Gonzales, who criticised Zambia’s handling of engagement over the proposed agreements during a farewell reception in Lusaka.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry rejected the comments, describing them as inconsistent with diplomatic procedure and bilateral respect.

"The Government of the Republic of Zambia therefore takes the greatest exception to the conduct of the outgoing ambassador. We call on all well-meaning Zambian citizens and global partners to ignore the assertions made by the outgoing ambassador during the farewell event hosted in his honour,” Haimbe said.

Diplomat News Network understands that the remarks were not transmitted through formal diplomatic channels, a point Zambian officials say undermines established protocols for state-to-state communication.

The briefing in Lusaka was held in a formal government setting where journalists from local and international media were present. Officials read prepared statements without taking questions, with reporters noting a controlled and restrained atmosphere during the session as the government outlined its position on the stalled negotiations.

The dispute comes amid broader changes in US engagement with African countries through new memorandums of understanding focused on health funding and strategic resources.

Several African states have signed similar frameworks, while others, including Ghana and Zimbabwe, have rejected provisions linked to data-sharing and resource access conditions.

Zambian officials said the country remains open to cooperation with international partners but insisted that agreements must respect sovereignty and established diplomatic practices.

The disagreement highlights growing friction between external development financing and national control over strategic sectors such as health data governance and mineral resources.

For Zambia, copper and related minerals remain a key economic pillar, shaping both fiscal stability and foreign investment policy. Any perceived linkage between aid and resource access is likely to face scrutiny from policymakers concerned about long-term economic sovereignty.

At the same time, health funding partnerships remain critical for many African countries, particularly in strengthening healthcare systems and emergency response capacity. The structure of such agreements is increasingly shaping diplomatic engagement between African governments and external partners.

Zambia’s position reflects a broader regional pattern in which governments are seeking to separate development assistance from commercial or strategic conditionality, particularly in sectors considered sensitive or nationally significant.

The outcome of the negotiations with Washington is expected to influence future engagement frameworks between the United States and resource-rich African states as discussions continue behind diplomatic channels.