U.S. and Côte d'Ivoire Sign Health Deal: "No More Blank Checks"

The United States has signed a new health agreement with Côte d'Ivoire, part of a major shift in how it provides global aid. The deal is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), a formal cooperation agreement. It requires recipient countries to invest their own funds and be accountable for results. The U.S. State Department announced the agreement from Abidjan. This approach is guided by the "America First Global Health Strategy." The strategy has two main goals: to better protect Americans from global infectious diseases and to end what it calls "open-ended dependency" on U.S. taxpayer money. The agreement with Côte d'Ivoire is a model for future U.S. global health partnerships. It signals that American assistance will now come with stricter conditions for shared investment and proven outcomes.