Zimbabwe has abruptly suspended negotiations with the United States on a new health aid agreement intended to replace a program dismantled under former President Donald Trump.
The proposed deal would have provided $367 million over five years, supporting approximately 1.2 million Zimbabweans receiving HIV treatment.
Officials cited concerns that the agreement could undermine national autonomy by shifting control over disease response and granting Washington broad access to sensitive health data. These sovereignty issues ultimately led Harare to halt discussions.
The US has been promoting similar health aid agreements across Africa under its “America First” strategy, partly as a countermeasure to China’s growing influence on the continent. Countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Lesotho, and Eswatini have already signed such deals.
With Zimbabwe stepping back, the US now faces the challenge of winding down its existing health support in the country, creating uncertainty for ongoing HIV treatment and broader healthcare programs.
