US and Congo Agree to $1.2 Billion Health Partnership

New funding tied to Congo increasing domestic health spending

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a $1.2 billion health partnership agreement. The U.S. will provide up to $900 million over the next five years to support Congo's fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious diseases, while Congo's government has committed to increasing its own domestic health expenditures by $300 million over the same period.

Why it matters

This new partnership is part of a broader U.S. strategy to shift global health funding towards increasing self-sufficiency in recipient countries, rather than relying on continued U.S. aid. It comes as the Trump administration has cut U.S. funding for international health programs, which has crippled health systems across the developing world, including in Africa.

The details

The $1.2 billion health partnership between the U.S. and Congo will provide up to $900 million from the U.S. over the next five years to support Congo's efforts to combat infectious diseases. In return, Congo has committed to increasing its own domestic health spending by $300 million over the same period. This new agreement replaces previous patchwork health agreements under the now-dismantled U.S. Agency for International Development.

  • The partnership was signed on February 27, 2026.
  • The U.S. funding will be provided over the next five years.

The players

United States

The U.S. government, which is providing up to $900 million in new health funding for Congo.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The African country that is committing to increase its own domestic health spending by $300 million as part of the new partnership with the U.S.

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What they’re saying

“There are huge concerns regarding data, regarding pathogen sharing.”

— Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Associated Press)

What’s next

The details of the health data sharing requirements between the U.S. and Congo as part of this partnership are still unclear. This issue has been a point of contention in similar agreements, with Zimbabwe recently rejecting a U.S. requirement to share sensitive health data.

The takeaway

This new $1.2 billion health partnership between the U.S. and Congo represents a shift in U.S. global health funding strategy, moving away from open-ended aid towards more reciprocal agreements that require recipient countries to increase their own domestic health spending. However, concerns remain about potential data sharing requirements that could undermine countries' sovereignty.