It’s about USA’s Foreign Policies Towards Africa that We are Concerned About
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Charmed by USA Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit, a friend of mine called and asked; “So what did the Opposition plan to protest against or about?”
These are the plain reasons;
1. On 4th February 2021, USA President Joe Biden signed a Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons Around the World.
The Memorandum directs executive departments and agencies (agencies) engaged abroad to ensure that United States diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons everywhere.
The Memorandum also ties foreign assistance to the respect and promotion of LGBTQI rights.
In Africa, the USA is also pushing for the decriminalization of homosexuality laws.
This means that the US foreign assistance to Zambia is threatened because of this Memorandum that compels Zambia and others to comply with the directive or forego the assistance.
2. Further, in its strategy, the “US Strategy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa” published in August 2022, the USA wishes to crowd out China and Russia out of Africa. This violates Africa’s and Zambia’s well established non-aligned policy.
This approach also denies African states opportunities to enjoy optimal benefits from both members of the multi-polar world, USA on one side and Russia and China on the other.
3. On 28th April 2022, Congress passed H.R.7311 – Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act, a law that literally criminalises bilateral and multilateral relationships between Africa and Russia.
SADC and African Union have since condemned the USA on this law and have indicated that Africa will be defiant of this law.
For the USA cannot choose Africa’s friends and its development partners.