Haimbe Insists Relations with US Remain Strong Despite Aid Withdrawal

Mulambo Haimbe, the Foreign Affairs Minister, praised the warm and cordial nature of US-Zambia relations during an interview with ZNBC News on Sunday. This comes despite the American ambassador Michael Gonzalez’s recent and sudden announcement of a K1.4 billion withdrawal of medical aid, itself a response to the theft of donated medicines.

Mr Haimbe conceded however that there was some frustration within the government regarding the nature of Mr Gonzalez’s announcement, principally that it came without any prior private consultation.

“I was a little bit uncomfortable with how the US ambassador addressed this particular issue of the withdrawal of aid”, the Foreign Minister said. “The concern was that His Excellency went to the public media without coming to us, to the ministry, to explain that he was going to make an important pronouncement of that nature…there are clear provisions of the Vienna Convention”.

Mr Haimbe was abundantly clear that this frustration was purely a matter of procedure; Zambia respects the right of foreign diplomats to speak freely, and the government is not bitter about the aid withdrawal, rather, it respected the US’s decision.

Mr Haimbe acknowledged the challenges that the Zambian health sector now faces, but remains confident of the government’s ability to tackle them and pursue independent development. “I do not see this as a scar”, he said, “I see it as an eye-opener”.

Throughout the interview Mr Haimbe was keen to put this issue into perspective; it will not significantly damage the warm and longstanding friendship between Zambia and the US.

“The relations between Zambia and the US are first long, they are broad, they go beyond this particular aspect. I would say that they are quite strong and continue to strengthen”, he said.

The minister cited tangible examples of investment by American firms into various sectors of the Zambian economy, such as mining, demonstrating that Zambia’s relations with the US brings real economic dividends.

The UPND government remains committed to working cooperatively with a range of development partners, and to maintaining Zambia’s respected international standing.