US denies seeking access to Zimbabwe's mineral wealth

The US has flatly denied that it was seeking access to Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth, insisting that a proposed health-aid agreement abandoned on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s instructions contained no provisions related to the country’s critical minerals, reports ZimLive. A US official familiar with the negotiations said Zimbabwe walked away from weeks of intensive technical talks without offering any explanation, having never raised political or policy concerns throughout the entire process. The official was emphatic that the memorandum of understanding under discussion was strictly limited to public-health co-operation. The collapse of the deal was confirmed by the US Embassy in Harare last week. Ambassador Pamela Tremont warned that the breakdown would rob Zimbabwean communities of significant benefits, particularly the 1.2m people currently receiving HIV treatment through US-supported programmes. The termination order traces back to a letter dated 23 December, signed by Zimbabwe’s Secretary for Foreign Affairs, indicating that Mnangagwa had personally ordered talks halted, stating that the deal undermines the country’s sovereignty and independence. The breakdown comes against the backdrop of Washington’s push for a new wave of bilateral health agreements under its America First framework. At least 20 African countries including Kenya, the DRC and Uganda have signed the agreements with the US.

Full ZimLive.com report