The U.S. State Department has approved a grant of up to $150 million over three years to Zipline, the American robotics and autonomous drone delivery company, to significantly expand its health care operations in five African countries.
This grant is one of the first major new U.S. global health funding announcements since the Trump administration’s foreign aid funding freeze, dismantling of USAID, and release of its new “America First” global health strategy. State Department officials have portrayed the partnership with Zipline as an early example of the new direction of U.S. global health assistance.
“This partnership is an example of the innovative, results-driven partnership at the core of the America First foreign assistance agenda,” said Jeremy Lewin, undersecretary of state for foreign assistance, humanitarian affairs, and religious freedom, in a press release.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
