In response to reports that President Trump could withhold HIV assistance to Zambia unless given greater access to the country’s minerals, Oxfam America's Natural Resource Justice Global Program Co-Lead Maria Ramos said:
"Oxfam is deeply alarmed that the United States may condition lifesaving HIV medications to Zambia on access to critical minerals, effectively threatening the health and wellbeing of thousands by turning humanitarian assistance into a bargaining chip.
An estimated 1.3 million people in Zambia rely on daily HIV treatments supported by U.S. programs. This cruel tactic by the Trump Administration to secure political gains both risks lives and undermines decades of global health progress. Pressures to fast-track mining expansions can also exacerbate governance challenges, weaken environmental safeguards, and heighten risks to human rights, putting even more local communities and workers at risk.
We reject any approach that prioritizes geopolitical or commercial interests over human lives and urge all parties to ensure that both aid and resource development are guided by transparency, accountability, and the protection of people and the environment."
/ENDS
Notes to the editor