WASHINGTON, DC. February 4th, 2026. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Mulambo Haimbe S.C, M.P, says the country’s participation in the critical minerals’ engagements in Washington D.C, is for the benefit of the Zambian people.
The Minister is in Washington, D.C at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, organized by the U.S. State Department.
Mr. Haimbe emphasised that in line with its economic diplomacy agenda, Zambia is looking at having strategic partners that will contribute positively to the realisation of the country’s mineral wealth for the benefit and wellbeing of the people of Zambia.
Speaking on arrival in Washington DC ahead of the meeting, Mr. Haimbe said the participation highlights Zambia’s commitment to international cooperation and sustainable development.
“The focus of the meeting is on the value chains relating to critical minerals and their global consumption and trade. Zambia is alive to the importance of having strategic partners that add value to the country’s mineral wealth,” Mr. Haimbe said.
“This participation is based on the strategic focus of Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, for strategic partnerships based on equality and mutual benefit and partnerships that underpin value addition within Zambia. Mineral resource beneficiation must be undertaken in a way that Zambia benefits and not just export of raw materials.”
He reiterated the new dawn administration's commitment to ensuring that Zambia's mineral wealth is used for development and to improve the livelihood of the Zambian people.
The Critical Minerals Ministerial focuses on securing and diversifying global supply chains for essential minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earths, a critical step in addressing the growing demand for these resources.
By engaging in crucial conversations surrounding recycling, material efficiency, and technological innovations, Zambia aims to align with global strategies that promote economic security and environmental sustainability in the critical minerals sector.
The Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Forum was launched in 2022, as a multilateral cooperation platform bringing together 15 MSP Partners and another 15 critical mineral-producing and -consuming countries at various stages of development, with a focus on both advancing and accelerating individual projects and promoting policies that contribute to responsible, diverse, and resilient value chains with local value-addition at the centre.
Current members of the Minerals Security Partnership Forum include Argentina, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.
Meanwhile, Mr. Haimbe said the Zambian delegation will use the opportunity to further engage the U.S. Department of State on matters relating to the ever-strengthening Zambia-U.S. relations, including VISA and consular issues that have gained prominence recently.
Issued by
Charles Tembo
First Secretary Press and Public Relations
Embassy of the Republic of Zambia
Washington DC.
Charles.Tembo@grz.gov.zm [1]