United States to send delegation to Zimbabwe for mineral and trade talks

United States President Donald Trump is expected to send a congressional and business delegation to Harare to hold talks with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. This renewed engagement follows a meeting between Mnangagwa and Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Key drivers for the increased US interest include Zimbabwe’s significant mineral wealth, which is vital for the global energy transition. The country possesses large deposits of lithium, nickel, chrome, and platinum-group metals. Zimbabwe has been advocating for foreign investment in local mineral processing rather than the mere export of raw materials, positioning itself as a strategic partner in critical-mineral supply chains.

Additionally, trade relations are seeing movement as the United States has included Zimbabwe in its fiscal 2027 tariff-rate quota for raw cane sugar. The country has been allocated 813 metric tonnes, allowing qualifying imports to enter the US at a lower tariff rate, similar to allocations provided to South Africa, Mozambique, and Malawi.