By Joe Udo
KIGALI (CONVERSEER) – The United States and Rwanda have signed a $228 million agreement designed to strengthen Rwanda’s health sector and support long-term financial independence in national health management.
The announcement was made late on Friday, shortly after Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi reaffirmed their commitment to a US-brokered peace plan for eastern Congo.
According to the US State Department, the new agreement will allocate $158 million from Washington to help Rwanda combat infectious diseases, including HIV and malaria. The funding will also reinforce national disease surveillance systems and bolster outbreak preparedness, areas that remain central to Rwanda’s public health priorities.
As part of the deal, Kigali will increase its domestic health spending by $70 million, a commitment the US described as a significant step towards sustainable financial self-reliance in the health sector.
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The development comes days after Kenya became the first country to formalise a partnership under the America First Global Health Strategy. The approach aims to reshape US foreign health assistance by helping partner nations build the capacity needed to independently manage their health systems.
Officials said the Rwanda agreement reflects Washington’s broader strategy of supporting countries willing to expand their domestic investment in health while reducing long-term dependence on foreign aid.
