ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire (AP) — The United States and Ivory Coast signed a health agreement on Tuesday that commits the United States to commit $480 million to the West African country’s health sector as part of an “America First” global health funding deal that reflects the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
The agreement signed in Abidjan, the capital of Côte d’Ivoire, covers areas such as HIV, malaria, maternal and child health and global health security. It is the latest agreement between the United States and more than a dozen African countries, most of which have been hit by U.S. aid cuts, including Côte d’Ivoire.
U.S. aid cuts have weakened health systems in developing countries, including in Africa, where many countries rely on funding for vital programs, including those to respond to disease outbreaks.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé said the new health agreement is based on the principle of shared responsibilities, with Côte d’Ivoire committing up to 163 billion CFA francs ($292 million) by 2030, accounting for 60% of the overall commitment.
Jessica Davis Ba, the U.S. ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, said the U.S. government is “moving beyond traditional aid to a model focused on trade, innovation and shared prosperity.”
“Today, our bilateral cooperation is entering a new phase. We are implementing the ‘America First’ global health strategy,” the ambassador said.
The Trump administration says a new “America First” global health funding deal aims to increase self-sufficiency and eliminate what it calls ideology and waste in international aid. The agreements replace a series of previous health agreements from the now-defunct United States Agency for International Development.
In Côte d’Ivoire, USAID has invested $115 million to support sectors such as health, education and assisting refugees, many of whom are fleeing violence in neighboring Sahel countries.
Analysts say the new approach to global health fits a pattern of U.S. President Donald Trump’s dealings with other countries, using direct talks with foreign governments to advance his agenda abroad.
