The US signs first bilateral health deal with Kenya for $1.6 billion

The U.S. State Department signed the first of its overarching bilateral health agreements — as part of its ongoing efforts to overhaul how it provides global health assistance. The United States said it will invest up to $1.6 billion over five years in Kenya, with the Kenyan government cofinancing the agreement with $850 million.

This is part of the country’s new “America First” global health strategy, where it places greater emphasis on direct country-to-country relationships, as opposed to funneling money through nongovernmental organizations. The U.S. aims to ultimately position countries as customers as opposed to aid recipients.

At the signing ceremony on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Kenya is the “perfect partner” to serve as a proof-of-concept for this new mode of American health assistance. He said his country chose Kenya to lead the way because the U.S. already has a close partnership with the East African nation, and it has “stable and strong institutions, both in government and in the health care sector.”