THE United States has expressed disappointment after the Government of Zimbabwe pulled out of talks on a major health funding agreement that would have brought hundreds of millions of dollars into the country’s health sector.
In a statement issued in Harare on 24 February, the U.S. government said Zimbabwe had withdrawn from negotiations on a proposed bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding valued at US$367 million over five years.
The funding was meant to support key national health programmes, including HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health services, and preparedness for disease outbreaks.
U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, said the partnership would have made a real difference to communities across the country.
“We believe this collaboration would have delivered extraordinary benefits for Zimbabwean communities, especially the 1.2 million men, women, and children currently receiving HIV treatment through U.S.-supported programmes,” she said. “We will now turn to the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our health assistance in Zimbabwe.”
The proposed agreement would have been the largest health investment in Zimbabwe by any international partner. It was designed around a co-funding model that aimed to strengthen long-term sustainability and help the country gradually take on more responsibility for financing its own health services.
Under the plan, Zimbabwe was expected to steadily increase its domestic health budget alongside continued U.S. support. The United States noted that it has provided more than US$1.9 billion in health assistance to Zimbabwe since 2006. That support has been credited with helping the country reach the global HIV treatment targets set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, commonly known as the 95 95 95 goals, which measure testing, treatment, and viral suppression among people living with HIV.
According to the statement, 16 African countries have already signed similar health cooperation agreements with the United States. Together, these agreements account for more than US$18.3 billion in new health funding, including US$11.2 billion from the United States and US$7.1 billion in contributions from participating countries.
Ambassador Tremont said the agreements are meant to ensure accountability, transparency, and shared responsibility.
“The United States has a responsibility to American taxpayers to invest their resources where mutual accountability, transparency, and shared commitment are assured,” she said. “These agreements are built on sustainability, measurable results, and shared ownership.”
She added that the Government of Zimbabwe had indicated it was ready to continue the fight against HIV and AIDS and other major diseases.
While no reasons were given for Zimbabwe’s decision to step away from the talks, the move marks a significant shift in one of the country’s largest health funding relationships and could have far-reaching implications for programmes that support millions of people.
