Lusaka, February 2025 – The Zambian government has addressed the potential impact of the United States’ recent 90-day suspension of foreign aid, highlighting concerns over the country’s key sectors, including health, agriculture, and education.
In a ministerial statement presented to Parliament, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, SC, MP, detailed how the U.S. government, under an executive order signed by President Donald J. Trump on 20th January 2025, halted all foreign aid worldwide to reassess its global assistance strategy. The freeze has led to the temporary suspension of funding for numerous programmes under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other U.S. government-backed initiatives in Zambia.
“The United States remains one of Zambia’s most valued development partners, providing approximately US$600 million annually to support critical areas such as healthcare, governance, and economic development,” said Minister Haimbe. “Seventy-five percent of this funding goes towards health programmes, particularly those supporting the HIV/AIDS response and healthcare commodities.”
However, Zambia received some relief when the U.S. Department of State issued a waiver exempting humanitarian assistance from the freeze. This means that funding for lifesaving medicines, food aid, and medical services will continue, ensuring that essential programmes such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) remain unaffected. Over one million Zambians currently rely on PEPFAR for access to antiretroviral drugs.
Despite this exemption, concerns remain over other sectors not covered by the waiver. The Zambian government, in response, has engaged in high-level discussions with U.S. officials, including Ambassador Michael Gonzales, to evaluate the broader implications of the policy shift.
“As a government, we are closely monitoring this situation and working with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, the Ministry of Health, the Bank of Zambia, and the Ministry of Tourism, to mitigate any negative effects,” Minister Haimbe assured Parliament.
The full extent of the aid suspension’s impact is yet to be determined, but authorities remain optimistic that diplomatic efforts will yield positive outcomes. Meanwhile, Zambia continues to explore alternative funding mechanisms to sustain development programmes that could be affected by the aid freeze.
The United States has been a major development partner for Zambia since the country gained independence in 1964. Aid from the U.S. has contributed significantly to reducing maternal mortality rates, improving healthcare infrastructure, and increasing life expectancy.
As the 90-day review period unfolds, Zambia remains hopeful that normal aid disbursements will resume or that modifications will be made to ensure continued support for critical programmes. The government has assured citizens that it is actively working to safeguard the country’s economic and social development amid this temporary setback.
