America First Global Health Strategy – Joint Statement between the Governement of the United States of America and the Government of theDemocratic Republic of Congo on the Bilateral Health Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)                                         ​

February 26, 2026: Through the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy,the Government of the United States of America (USG) and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed a five-year, $1.2 billion bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), including $900 million in global health assistance from the USG and $300 million from the DRC in increased domestic health expenditures.

Building on decades of U.S. global health assistance,the United States plans to support priority health programs to prevent and combat the spread of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, and other global health security threats, as well as programs supporting maternal and child health through the five-year MOU. This MOU marks a structural advancement in the evolution of bilateral health cooperation through a framework grounded in mutual responsibility and accountability. It reflects shared strategic objectives that serve American interests: strengthening the resilience of the Congolese health system, saving lives through efficient health service delivery, and preventing the spread of both emerging and existing infectious diseases.

Statement from the U.S. Government

U.S. Charge D’Affaires Ian McCary said, “Today, our two countries are taking a new five-year step together.  We commit to a five-year partnership to strengthen cooperation in public health and consolidate Congolese leadership of its own health system.  It is an important moment — and, above all, a moment turned toward the future.  This memorandum of understanding reflects a commitment that is both concrete and ambitious.”  

Statements from the Government of the DRC 

The Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Security, Dr. Roger Kamba, speaking at the signing ceremony presided by the Prime Minister of the Republic Judith Tuluka Suminwa,  stated, “This Memorandum of Understanding consolidates a new phase of national leadership in the health sector. It reflects the Government’s determination to assume progressively greater financial and institutional responsibility, ensuring full national ownership of strategic investments within a carefully managed trajectory toward Universal Health Coverage.” 

The Minister of Finance, His Excellency Mr. Doudou Fwamba, emphasized that the increase in domestic health allocations forms part of a broader fiscal reform agenda designed to enhance expenditure predictability, budgetary discipline, and long-term sustainability of priority social policies. 

Overview

The five-year MOU contains a number of important and innovative provisions that will help facilitate long-term sustainability of the DRC’s health system in the fight against infectious diseases. These measures include streamlining performance monitoring, reducing non-frontline investments by integrating U.S. programs into the broader Congolese health system, mobilizing the private sector and faith-based organizations, and mobilizing increased co-investment from the DRCGovernment to ensure continuity of essential health services, stabilization of health workforce financing, and strengthened national management over critical medical supply chains.

The United States remains the DRC’s largest bilateral global health partner. Today’s signing builds on more than twenty years of collaboration in the health sector, supporting programs that have saved lives, fought infectious diseases, and advanced shared global health priorities. This support has laid a strong foundation for the Government of the DRC to finance and steer its own health agenda. Today’s MOU underscores a mutual commitment to safeguarding health gains and protecting American and Congolese citizens with the long-term goal of an effective health system that is sustained and owned by the Government of the DRC’s institutions and communities.

Learn more about the America First Global Health Strategy here. 

Read Secretary Marco Rubio’s statement onAdvancing the America First Global Health Strategy Through Landmark Bilateral Agreements on Global Health Cooperation here.

For additional information, please contact KinshasaPress@state.gov.  or communication@sante.gouv.cd

U.S.-DRC

Bilateral Health Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding Press Release

February 26, 2026