Zimbabwe has turned down a proposed US$350 million health funding deal with the United States after President Emmerson Mnangagwa personally instructed his government to stop the negotiations, calling the agreement one-sided and a threat to the country’s sovereignty.
The directive was conveyed by Albert Chimbindi, secretary for foreign affairs and international trade, in a letter dated 23 December 2025 to the secretaries of finance and health. The letter reads:
“The President has directed that Zimbabwe must discontinue any negotiation with the USA on the clearly lopsided MoU that blatantly compromises and undermines the sovereignty and independence of Zimbabwe as a country.”
Washington had been promoting the memorandum of understanding (MoU) as the future framework for US health support to Zimbabwe under its America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS). Still, Harare found the conditions unacceptable on several fronts.
The US sought direct access to Zimbabwe’s health data over a set period, a move officials saw as a form of intelligence overreach. Washington also pushed for access to the country’s critical mineral resources as part of the broader deal.
Zimbabwe objected on principle as well, arguing that signing a bilateral health agreement with the US would clash with its commitment to multilateralism—especially given Washington’s withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) under the Donald Trump administration.
Harare reasoned that entering into a parallel bilateral health arrangement would effectively legitimise Washington’s exit from the global health order.
Despite Zimbabwe’s resistance, US health diplomacy is gaining traction elsewhere in Africa, with at least 14 countries already signing similar agreements under the AFGHS framework.
More: ZimLive
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