HARARE, Zimbabwe, Feb 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Zimbabwe has pulled out of 
negotiations with the United States on a new health deal intended to replace 
the aid programme disbanded by President Donald Trump, the US embassy in 
Harare has said.

The US has been striking new health?aid agreements across Africa after Trump 
tore down the long standing USAID agency and curtailed the role of NGOs.

But critics say the deals give Washington broad access to health data and 
risk shifting control of disease?response systems away from national 
authorities.

The embassy confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that Zimbabwe had ended the 
talks.

"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 US-supported programmes," 
ambassador Pamela Tremont was quoted as saying.

"We will now turn to the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our 
health assistance in Zimbabwe."

The deal would have provided $367 million in funding over five years, 
according to the statement.

AFP also obtained a letter late Tuesday from the secretary for foreign 
affairs, dated December 23, stating that Zimbabwe President Emmerson 
Mnangagwa had directed officials to halt the negotiations because the terms 
threatened the country's autonomy.

"Zimbabwe must discontinue any negotiation, with the USA, on the clearly lop-
sided MoU that blatantly compromises and undermines the sovereignty and 
independence of Zimbabwe," said the letter, which had not previously been 
made public.

The US last year began pursuing one?on?one health agreements under its 
"America First" strategy, aiming to counter China's influence on the 
continent -- where Beijing's spending has long centred on large 
infrastructure projects financed through loans.

The first pact was signed with Kenya in December but has since been 
challenged in court by a Kenyan senator alleging constitutional breaches.

More than a dozen countries have signed on including Rwanda, Uganda, Lesotho 
and Eswatini.