Three U.S. Senators sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday warning that the State Department is considering withholding HIV treatment for 1.3 million Zambians unless the country grants American businesses favorable access to its copper mines.
Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chris Coons of Delaware and Brian Schatz of Hawaii said conditioning lifesaving aid on economic concessions would undermine bipartisan support for PEPFAR and disrupt treatment for people whose lives depend on daily medication.
The senators urged Rubio to reject what they described as a scheme to hold health assistance hostage for American access to Zambian copper resources, calling it a disturbing break from longstanding U.S. Global health commitments.
They argued that any concessions secured through such coercion would be unsustainable, cost lives and weaken U.S. Standing in Africa over the long term.
The letter follows reporting from The New York Times that State Department officials had crafted a plan to pressure Lusaka on mining policy by threatening to end health support on a massive scale.
The Globe and Mail noted that Zambia has an HIV prevalence rate of 9.4 percent among adults aged 15 to 49, and that cervical cancer incidence in the country stands at 71.5 per 100,000 women, highlighting the overlap of health crises in the region.
The publication also pointed out that 65 percent of all global HIV/AIDS cases are in Africa, and that many countries with high HIV rates also face severe burdens from cervical cancer, making integrated prevention efforts critical.
The senators said they believe updating guidance for foreign service officers is necessary to ensure that commercial diplomacy does no harm and supports broader foreign policy and national security priorities without coercion.
What specific aid is at risk of being conditioned on mining concessions
The senators warned that both U.S. Support for HIV treatment for 1.3 million HIV-positive Zambians and previously pledged economic assistance from the Millennium Challenge Corporation could be withheld unless Zambia agrees to favorable economic reforms for U.S. Businesses.
How do the senators view the link between health aid and economic pressure
They described holding lifesaving assistance hostage for American access to Zambian copper mines as a disturbing break from the long-held bipartisan support for PEPFAR and warned that such tactics would undermine U.S. Interests in Africa over the long term.
What is the HIV prevalence rate in Zambia according to the sources
Zambia reports an HIV prevalence rate of 9.4 percent among adults aged 15 to 49.
Why do the senators believe conditioning aid on economic concessions is problematic
They believe any concessions secured through leveraging health or development assistance will be unsustainable, cost lives and undermine U.S. Interests on the continent in the long term.