KINSHASA, CONGO (NPA) — The governments of the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a new $1.2 billion agreement aimed at strengthening health systems and tackling major diseases.
Under the partnership, Washington will provide up to $900 million over the next five years to support programs addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and other infectious diseases. Congo has pledged to increase its domestic health spending by $300 million during the same period.
The deal is part of a broader U.S. initiative to establish bilateral health agreements across Africa. According to the State Department, 19 such partnerships have been signed to date. Officials say the new framework is designed to promote self-sufficiency and streamline funding, replacing older arrangements previously managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The announcement comes amid wider debate over U.S. global health policy. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised concerns about provisions in some agreements that require countries to share sensitive pathogen data with Washington as a condition for funding. On Wednesday, negotiations with Zimbabwe collapsed after its government rejected such requirements.
It remains unclear whether similar data-sharing clauses are included in the Congo agreement.
