{"id":1875449,"date":"2026-04-10T08:41:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T05:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1875449"},"modified":"2026-04-10T08:41:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T05:41:23","slug":"kenyas-bilateral-health-deal-with-us-hits-snags-in-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1875449","title":{"rendered":"Kenya’s bilateral health deal with US hits snags in court"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76714269_6.jpg”]<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BsZE<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
Zambia is the second largest copper producer in Africa, and the US is seeking greater access to the country’s mineral resourcesImage: Damian Gillie\/Construction Photography\/Photosh\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Around\u00a01.3 million people\u00a0in Zambia<\/a>\u00a0are living with HIV. Many\u00a0depend on aid\u00a0for\u00a0treatment,\u00a0largely delivered\u00a0through\u00a0the United\u00a0 States’\u00a0PEPFAR\u00a0program\u00a0(the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS\u00a0Relief<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Between\u00a02010\u00a0and 2025, new HIV infections\u00a0in Zambia dropped from 63,000 to 30,000, according to the\u00a0United Nations. But the southern African nation is reportedly reluctant to sign a new deal with the US, which is demanding greater access to Zambia’s\u00a0critical minerals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In late March, The New York Times<\/em>\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0it had obtained a memo prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which shows how the\u00a0US could withdraw health support “on a massive scale” to force Zambia and other countries to accept US terms.<\/p>\n

What are the MOUs the US is pushing?\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n

After\u00a0dismantling USAID\u00a0last year,<\/a> the\u00a0Trump\u00a0administration<\/a> has sought to replace\u00a0decades of aid with bilateral deals, called Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), as part of the\u00a0America First Global Health Strategy.<\/p>\n

In a written statement to DW, the US State Department said it sought to partner “with select countries” to “transition from a foreign\u00a0assistance\u00a0paradigm to an investment and growth paradigm.”<\/p>\n

Details\u00a0on many\u00a0remain\u00a0undisclosed, but the State Department said MOUs represented over $20.6 billion (\u20ac17.6 billion) in new health funding to fight HIV\/AIDS<\/a>, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. Across\u00a0Africa,\u00a023\u00a0countries have\u00a0so far\u00a0signed bilateral deals with the US.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"USAID
USAID officially shut down in July 2025, and its closure was felt significantly in Africa’s health sectorImage: Privilege Musvanhiri\/DW<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But two\u00a0countries\u00a0are\u00a0pushing back:\u00a0Zimbabwe<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Zambia.<\/p>\n

“We\u00a0are fundamentally adopting a radically different approach to this than the US government has used in the past,”\u00a0said Conor Savoy, a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development and formerly a foreign policy engagement lead\u00a0at USAID.<\/p>\n

US pressures African countries to accept health deals \u00a0<\/h2>\n

Zimbabwe\u00a0walked away from negotiations, calling US\u00a0demands\u00a0on\u00a0data and biological samples “lopsided”\u00a0and\u00a0an “intolerable\u00a0infringement on sovereignty.”<\/p>\n

Kenya’s<\/a> government accepted\u00a0a\u00a0deal;\u00a0however, activists\u00a0with similar data\u00a0privacy concerns\u00a0have taken it to court.<\/p>\n

For months, the US has been trying to reach a deal with Zambia.\u00a0In February,\u00a0Zambia\u00a0said the US\u00a0proposal did not align with the country’s interests. The US is proposing\u00a0$1 billion\u00a0in health funding over five years, less than half of what Zambia received before Trump took office. Zambia must also commit $340 million in new health spending, and the US has demanded biological and specimen data for 25 years.\u00a0Zambia has\u00a0reportedly until\u00a0May to\u00a0sign or\u00a0lose funding.<\/p>\n

\n

Kenya’s bilateral health deal with US hits snags in court<\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, Zambia has been increasing its own health contributions, including some HIV programs.\u00a0However, scaling up health spending cannot happen overnight, according to Savoy.<\/p>\n

“Their systems are simply not at a place where they can take on the entire\u00a0challenge\u00a0of health\u00a0funding,” he told DW.<\/p>\n

Another demand from the US is\u00a0reportedly access\u00a0to Zambia’s critical minerals<\/a>. Zambia\u00a0has significant reserves of nickel\u00a0and cobalt, and is one of the world’s largest copper producers.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched Project Vault<\/a>, aiming to counter China’s<\/a> dominance on rare earth minerals.<\/a>\u00a0But reports of trading health aid for minerals is concerning to experts.<\/p>\n

“We’re playing with fire here ultimately and it could further erode confidence and credit\u00a0and\u00a0our credibility\u00a0on the continent,”\u00a0said\u00a0Savoy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Zimbabwe takes a big shot toward an HIV-free future<\/h2>\n

HealthGAP,<\/a> a health advocacy organization working in Zambia,\u00a0reported that activists are “demanding a rejection of deals conditioning funding access to mining.”<\/p>\n

Which countries have\u00a0agreed to US mineral deals?\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Many African nations have already signed MOUs with the US.<\/p>\n

“There are countries that want these types of\u00a0investments\u00a0and\u00a0they’re\u00a0going to be open to them,”\u00a0said Savoy.<\/p>\n

He adds it is difficult to confirm whether\u00a0critical\u00a0minerals<\/a> have been a\u00a0condition in other\u00a0deals. For instance, the Democratic Republic of Congo<\/a>\u00a0has signed both\u00a0a health agreement\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0separate minerals deal with the US.<\/p>\n

\n

What does DR Congo gain with the peace deal?<\/h2>\n

Some countries may\u00a0even\u00a0welcome mineral agreements<\/a> with the US.<\/p>\n

“A lot of countries in the region have tried to look at diversifying away from China,” Savoy said.\u00a0But he argues health and economic deals with the US should be kept separate.<\/p>\n

“This effort, especially in Zambia, could seriously undermine our credibility. At the end of the day\u00a0we’re\u00a0doing\u00a0essentially what\u00a0the US government has accused the\u00a0Chinese\u00a0of doing for the past two decades in Africa,” he told DW.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Concerns increase for Zambian HIV patients\u00a0<\/h2>\n

If a deal\u00a0is not reached and the US reduces\u00a0support on “a massive scale,”\u00a0the effects could be felt quickly.<\/p>\n

Oxfam recently warned<\/a>\u00a0the deals are “effectively threatening the health and well-being of thousands by turning humanitarian\u00a0assistance into a bargaining chip.”<\/p>\n

For\u00a01.3 million\u00a0Zambians that means\u00a0losing\u00a0daily life-saving HIV treatment, which had\u00a0helped cut AIDS-related deaths in the country by\u00a0over 70% in the last 15 years.<\/p>\n

Zambia’s health ministry was\u00a0contacted for this\u00a0article, but\u00a0had not responded at the time of publishing.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Cai Nebe<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

\n

Around\u00a01.3 million people\u00a0in Zambia<\/a>\u00a0are living with HIV. Many\u00a0depend on aid\u00a0for\u00a0treatment,\u00a0largely delivered\u00a0through\u00a0the United\u00a0 States’\u00a0PEPFAR\u00a0program\u00a0(the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS\u00a0Relief<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Between\u00a02010\u00a0and 2025, new HIV infections\u00a0in Zambia dropped from 63,000 to 30,000, according to the\u00a0United Nations. But the southern African nation is reportedly reluctant to sign a new deal with the US, which is demanding greater access to Zambia’s\u00a0critical minerals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In late March, The New York Times<\/em>\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0it had obtained a memo prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which shows how the\u00a0US could withdraw health support “on a massive scale” to force Zambia and other countries to accept US terms.<\/p>\n

What are the MOUs the US is pushing?\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n

After\u00a0dismantling USAID\u00a0last year,<\/a> the\u00a0Trump\u00a0administration<\/a> has sought to replace\u00a0decades of aid with bilateral deals, called Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), as part of the\u00a0America First Global Health Strategy.<\/p>\n

In a written statement to DW, the US State Department said it sought to partner “with select countries” to “transition from a foreign\u00a0assistance\u00a0paradigm to an investment and growth paradigm.”<\/p>\n

Details\u00a0on many\u00a0remain\u00a0undisclosed, but the State Department said MOUs represented over $20.6 billion (\u20ac17.6 billion) in new health funding to fight HIV\/AIDS<\/a>, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. Across\u00a0Africa,\u00a023\u00a0countries have\u00a0so far\u00a0signed bilateral deals with the US.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"USAID
USAID officially shut down in July 2025, and its closure was felt significantly in Africa’s health sectorImage: Privilege Musvanhiri\/DW<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But two\u00a0countries\u00a0are\u00a0pushing back:\u00a0Zimbabwe<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Zambia.<\/p>\n

“We\u00a0are fundamentally adopting a radically different approach to this than the US government has used in the past,”\u00a0said Conor Savoy, a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development and formerly a foreign policy engagement lead\u00a0at USAID.<\/p>\n

US pressures African countries to accept health deals \u00a0<\/h2>\n

Zimbabwe\u00a0walked away from negotiations, calling US\u00a0demands\u00a0on\u00a0data and biological samples “lopsided”\u00a0and\u00a0an “intolerable\u00a0infringement on sovereignty.”<\/p>\n

Kenya’s<\/a> government accepted\u00a0a\u00a0deal;\u00a0however, activists\u00a0with similar data\u00a0privacy concerns\u00a0have taken it to court.<\/p>\n

For months, the US has been trying to reach a deal with Zambia.\u00a0In February,\u00a0Zambia\u00a0said the US\u00a0proposal did not align with the country’s interests. The US is proposing\u00a0$1 billion\u00a0in health funding over five years, less than half of what Zambia received before Trump took office. Zambia must also commit $340 million in new health spending, and the US has demanded biological and specimen data for 25 years.\u00a0Zambia has\u00a0reportedly until\u00a0May to\u00a0sign or\u00a0lose funding.<\/p>\n

\n

Kenya’s bilateral health deal with US hits snags in court<\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, Zambia has been increasing its own health contributions, including some HIV programs.\u00a0However, scaling up health spending cannot happen overnight, according to Savoy.<\/p>\n

“Their systems are simply not at a place where they can take on the entire\u00a0challenge\u00a0of health\u00a0funding,” he told DW.<\/p>\n

Another demand from the US is\u00a0reportedly access\u00a0to Zambia’s critical minerals<\/a>. Zambia\u00a0has significant reserves of nickel\u00a0and cobalt, and is one of the world’s largest copper producers.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched Project Vault<\/a>, aiming to counter China’s<\/a> dominance on rare earth minerals.<\/a>\u00a0But reports of trading health aid for minerals is concerning to experts.<\/p>\n

“We’re playing with fire here ultimately and it could further erode confidence and credit\u00a0and\u00a0our credibility\u00a0on the continent,”\u00a0said\u00a0Savoy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Zimbabwe takes a big shot toward an HIV-free future<\/h2>\n

HealthGAP,<\/a> a health advocacy organization working in Zambia,\u00a0reported that activists are “demanding a rejection of deals conditioning funding access to mining.”<\/p>\n

Which countries have\u00a0agreed to US mineral deals?\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Many African nations have already signed MOUs with the US.<\/p>\n

“There are countries that want these types of\u00a0investments\u00a0and\u00a0they’re\u00a0going to be open to them,”\u00a0said Savoy.<\/p>\n

He adds it is difficult to confirm whether\u00a0critical\u00a0minerals<\/a> have been a\u00a0condition in other\u00a0deals. For instance, the Democratic Republic of Congo<\/a>\u00a0has signed both\u00a0a health agreement\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0separate minerals deal with the US.<\/p>\n

\n

What does DR Congo gain with the peace deal?<\/h2>\n

Some countries may\u00a0even\u00a0welcome mineral agreements<\/a> with the US.<\/p>\n

“A lot of countries in the region have tried to look at diversifying away from China,” Savoy said.\u00a0But he argues health and economic deals with the US should be kept separate.<\/p>\n

“This effort, especially in Zambia, could seriously undermine our credibility. At the end of the day\u00a0we’re\u00a0doing\u00a0essentially what\u00a0the US government has accused the\u00a0Chinese\u00a0of doing for the past two decades in Africa,” he told DW.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Concerns increase for Zambian HIV patients\u00a0<\/h2>\n

If a deal\u00a0is not reached and the US reduces\u00a0support on “a massive scale,”\u00a0the effects could be felt quickly.<\/p>\n

Oxfam recently warned<\/a>\u00a0the deals are “effectively threatening the health and well-being of thousands by turning humanitarian\u00a0assistance into a bargaining chip.”<\/p>\n

For\u00a01.3 million\u00a0Zambians that means\u00a0losing\u00a0daily life-saving HIV treatment, which had\u00a0helped cut AIDS-related deaths in the country by\u00a0over 70% in the last 15 years.<\/p>\n

Zambia’s health ministry was\u00a0contacted for this\u00a0article, but\u00a0had not responded at the time of publishing.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Cai Nebe<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Around\u00a01.3 million people\u00a0in Zambia<\/a>\u00a0are living with HIV. Many\u00a0depend on aid\u00a0for\u00a0treatment,\u00a0largely delivered\u00a0through\u00a0the United\u00a0 States’\u00a0PEPFAR\u00a0program\u00a0(the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS\u00a0Relief<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Between\u00a02010\u00a0and 2025, new HIV infections\u00a0in Zambia dropped from 63,000 to 30,000, according to the\u00a0United Nations. But the southern African nation is reportedly reluctant to sign a new deal with the US, which is demanding greater access to Zambia’s\u00a0critical minerals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In late March, The New York Times<\/em>\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0it had obtained a memo prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which shows how the\u00a0US could withdraw health support “on a massive scale” to force Zambia and other countries to accept US terms.<\/p>\n

After\u00a0dismantling USAID\u00a0last year,<\/a> the\u00a0Trump\u00a0administration<\/a> has sought to replace\u00a0decades of aid with bilateral deals, called Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), as part of the\u00a0America First Global Health Strategy.<\/p>\n

In a written statement to DW, the US State Department said it sought to partner “with select countries” to “transition from a foreign\u00a0assistance\u00a0paradigm to an investment and growth paradigm.”<\/p>\n

Details\u00a0on many\u00a0remain\u00a0undisclosed, but the State Department said MOUs represented over $20.6 billion (\u20ac17.6 billion) in new health funding to fight HIV\/AIDS<\/a>, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. Across\u00a0Africa,\u00a023\u00a0countries have\u00a0so far\u00a0signed bilateral deals with the US.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

But two\u00a0countries\u00a0are\u00a0pushing back:\u00a0Zimbabwe<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Zambia.<\/p>\n

“We\u00a0are fundamentally adopting a radically different approach to this than the US government has used in the past,”\u00a0said Conor Savoy, a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development and formerly a foreign policy engagement lead\u00a0at USAID.<\/p>\n

Zimbabwe\u00a0walked away from negotiations, calling US\u00a0demands\u00a0on\u00a0data and biological samples “lopsided”\u00a0and\u00a0an “intolerable\u00a0infringement on sovereignty.”<\/p>\n

Kenya’s<\/a> government accepted\u00a0a\u00a0deal;\u00a0however, activists\u00a0with similar data\u00a0privacy concerns\u00a0have taken it to court.<\/p>\n

For months, the US has been trying to reach a deal with Zambia.\u00a0In February,\u00a0Zambia\u00a0said the US\u00a0proposal did not align with the country’s interests. The US is proposing\u00a0$1 billion\u00a0in health funding over five years, less than half of what Zambia received before Trump took office. Zambia must also commit $340 million in new health spending, and the US has demanded biological and specimen data for 25 years.\u00a0Zambia has\u00a0reportedly until\u00a0May to\u00a0sign or\u00a0lose funding.<\/p>\n

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Zambia has been increasing its own health contributions, including some HIV programs.\u00a0However, scaling up health spending cannot happen overnight, according to Savoy.<\/p>\n

“Their systems are simply not at a place where they can take on the entire\u00a0challenge\u00a0of health\u00a0funding,” he told DW.<\/p>\n

Another demand from the US is\u00a0reportedly access\u00a0to Zambia’s critical minerals<\/a>. Zambia\u00a0has significant reserves of nickel\u00a0and cobalt, and is one of the world’s largest copper producers.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched Project Vault<\/a>, aiming to counter China’s<\/a> dominance on rare earth minerals.<\/a>\u00a0But reports of trading health aid for minerals is concerning to experts.<\/p>\n

“We’re playing with fire here ultimately and it could further erode confidence and credit\u00a0and\u00a0our credibility\u00a0on the continent,”\u00a0said\u00a0Savoy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n

HealthGAP,<\/a> a health advocacy organization working in Zambia,\u00a0reported that activists are “demanding a rejection of deals conditioning funding access to mining.”<\/p>\n

Many African nations have already signed MOUs with the US.<\/p>\n

“There are countries that want these types of\u00a0investments\u00a0and\u00a0they’re\u00a0going to be open to them,”\u00a0said Savoy.<\/p>\n

He adds it is difficult to confirm whether\u00a0critical\u00a0minerals<\/a> have been a\u00a0condition in other\u00a0deals. For instance, the Democratic Republic of Congo<\/a>\u00a0has signed both\u00a0a health agreement\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0separate minerals deal with the US.<\/p>\n

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n

Some countries may\u00a0even\u00a0welcome mineral agreements<\/a> with the US.<\/p>\n

“A lot of countries in the region have tried to look at diversifying away from China,” Savoy said.\u00a0But he argues health and economic deals with the US should be kept separate.<\/p>\n

“This effort, especially in Zambia, could seriously undermine our credibility. At the end of the day\u00a0we’re\u00a0doing\u00a0essentially what\u00a0the US government has accused the\u00a0Chinese\u00a0of doing for the past two decades in Africa,” he told DW.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

If a deal\u00a0is not reached and the US reduces\u00a0support on “a massive scale,”\u00a0the effects could be felt quickly.<\/p>\n

Oxfam recently warned<\/a>\u00a0the deals are “effectively threatening the health and well-being of thousands by turning humanitarian\u00a0assistance into a bargaining chip.”<\/p>\n

For\u00a01.3 million\u00a0Zambians that means\u00a0losing\u00a0daily life-saving HIV treatment, which had\u00a0helped cut AIDS-related deaths in the country by\u00a0over 70% in the last 15 years.<\/p>\n

Zambia’s health ministry was\u00a0contacted for this\u00a0article, but\u00a0had not responded at the time of publishing.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Cai Nebe<\/em><\/p>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/zambia-is-the-us-trading-hiv-treatment-for-minerals\/a-76713048″]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76714269_6.jpg”] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BsZE Zambia is the second largest copper producer in Africa, and the US is seeking greater access to the country’s mineral resourcesImage: Damian Gillie\/Construction Photography\/Photosh\/picture alliance Around\u00a01.3 million people\u00a0in Zambia\u00a0are living with HIV. Many\u00a0depend on aid\u00a0for\u00a0treatment,\u00a0largely delivered\u00a0through\u00a0the United\u00a0 States’\u00a0PEPFAR\u00a0program\u00a0(the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS\u00a0Relief). Between\u00a02010\u00a0and 2025, new HIV infections\u00a0in Zambia dropped from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1875449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1875449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1875449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1875449\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1875449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1875449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1875449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}