Minister Haimbe Highlights Zambia’s Mineral Wealth Strategy at Washington Talks

Zambia has underscored its commitment to sustainable development and strategic international partnerships by participating in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, D.C.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Mulambo Haimbe S.C., M.P., is representing Zambia at the event, held at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and organised by the U.S. State Department.

Speaking on arrival, Minister Haimbe highlighted that Zambia’s involvement in the Ministerial aligns with the country’s economic diplomacy agenda and seeks to secure strategic partnerships that add value to its mineral wealth for the benefit of the Zambian people.

“The focus of this meeting is on the value chains of critical minerals and their global trade. Zambia is keen to engage with partners who will contribute to local value addition rather than just the export of raw materials,” Mr Haimbe said.

He further emphasised that the new dawn administration, under President Hakainde Hichilema, is committed to ensuring that Zambia’s mineral resources drive development and improve the livelihoods of its citizens.

The Critical Minerals Ministerial brings together countries to discuss securing and diversifying global supply chains for essential minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements. The forum also addresses issues of recycling, material efficiency, and technological innovation, promoting both economic security and environmental sustainability.

The meeting is held under the framework of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Forum, launched in 2022, which brings together 15 MSP partners and 15 critical mineral-producing and -consuming countries to advance responsible and resilient value chains with local beneficiation at the centre. 

Current members include Argentina, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.

Minister Haimbe noted that the Zambian delegation will also use the visit to engage the U.S. State Department on bilateral issues, including visa and consular matters, further strengthening Zambia-U.S. relations.