US ambassador accuses Zambian government of institutionalized corruption
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 5
US ambassador accuses Zambian government of institutionalized corruption
2 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 5
Outgoing envoy Michael Gonzales made the charge in a farewell speech, a day after KoBold Metals launched its Mingomba copper mine project in Zambia.
He said corruption and Zambia's dealings with Chinese investors were deterring US investment, citing last year's mine-waste disaster at a nearby state-owned operation.
Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe called the claims delusional, but the dispute clouds ties involving $2 billion in US health aid and access to Zambia's critical minerals.
With US aid at risk, will Zambia's anti-corruption promises hold up against billion-dollar mining pressures?
Is tying health aid to mineral access the new US playbook for countering China's influence in Africa?
Can Silicon Valley's AI find copper faster than its own data centers can consume it?