We Never Asked For Zimbabwe’s Minerals: US Speaks On Aborted US$367M Health Aid Package

US Denies ‘Mineral For Health’ Claims As Zimbabwe Rejects US$367M Aid Package

The United States government has firmly denied any link between a collapsed US$367 million (approximately R6.7 billion) health aid package and Zimbabwe’s lucrative mineral reserves, after Harare abruptly walked away from the deal citing sovereignty concerns.

A senior US official intimately familiar with the negotiations has broken their silence to dismiss claims that the now-defunct Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was a backdoor attempt to plunder the southern African nation’s resources.

Zimlive reports that the official stated that the proposed agreement was entirely focused on public health and contained no hidden economic agendas. This clarification follows President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s directive to cease all talks on what his administration labelled a “lopsided” deal.

‘Strictly Limited To Health Cooperation’

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the agreement would have channelled much-needed funds into Zimbabwe’s healthcare system, specifically targeting the 1.2 million people currently receiving life-saving HIV treatment through US-supported programmes. The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, was adamant that the mineral-rich nation’s resources, including lithium and platinum, were never on the table.

“The MOU focused solely on health cooperation and did not contain any provisions related to critical minerals, neither explicitly nor implicitly. This MoU is, and has always been, about the health of the Zimbabwean people.”

The official revealed that Zimbabwean negotiators engaged in weeks of intensive technical talks without ever raising any political or policy objections. The sudden termination came as a complete surprise to Washington.

“No policy or political concerns were relayed to us. The government then notified us it was ceasing negotiations without stating why.”

The funding, valued at US$367 million (approximately R6.7 billion) over five years, would have maintained critical health-data standards, including the anonymous sharing of epidemiological data—a standard practice since the launch of PEPFAR in 2006. This data is used to track disease trends and ensure treatment reaches those who need it most.

Mnangagwa’s Direct Order Halts Talks

The decision to axe the deal traces back to a letter dated December 23, signed by Zimbabwe’s Secretary for Foreign Affairs. The correspondence explicitly stated that President Mnangagwa had personally ordered an immediate halt to the negotiations. The letter framed the agreement as a threat to national sovereignty.

“Zimbabwe must discontinue any negotiation with the USA on the clearly lopsided MoU that blatantly compromises and undermines the sovereignty and independence of Zimbabwe.”

The breakdown was publicly confirmed by the US Embassy in Harare last week. Ambassador Pamela Tremont expressed deep regret over the collapse, warning that Zimbabwean communities would bear the brunt of the consequences. She confirmed the daunting task of winding down health assistance in the country.

“We now face the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our health assistance in Zimbabwe.”

The failed negotiations occurred against the backdrop of Washington’s revised “America First” foreign aid framework, implemented following significant restructuring at USAID. Despite this, at least 20 other African nations, including Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda, have successfully signed similar bilateral health agreements with the United States.