The United States and Kenya have inked a five-year, $2.5 billion health partnership, the first bilateral agreement under the Trump administration’s new “America First” foreign-aid policy that demands recipient nations eventually stand on their own.
How the New Model Works
- Funding goes straight to the Kenyan government — skipping NGOs
- Kenya must boost its own health budget by $850 million over five years
- Nairobi will gradually take over paying health workers currently on U.S. payrolls
The deal covers HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and polio programmes.
A Template for Africa
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “a true partnership built on sustainability.” Kenyan President William Ruto said the agreement turbocharges his universal health coverage plan with better equipment, supplies and workforce support.
USAID No More
The pact replaces programmes once run by the now-dissolved USAID, which the Trump administration folded into the State Department.
More African countries are expected to sign similar deals soon though Nigeria and South Africa are reportedly excluded for now due to political tensions.
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