Guinea has signed a $143 million memorandum of understanding with the US to boost its health systems, according to the West African nation's finance minister Mariama Ciré Sylla

Guinea has signed a $143 million memorandum of understanding with the US to boost its health systems, according to the West African nation's finance minister Mariama Ciré Sylla

Guinea and U.S. Ink $143 Million Health Partnership to Strengthen Disease Response

Guinea has entered a five-year, $143 million memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States to enhance its health systems, according to Finance Minister Mariama Ciré Sylla, who announced the agreement via a Facebook video. The pact, part of the U.S. State Department's America First Global Health Strategy, focuses on combating malaria, eradicating polio, and improving health security in the West African nation.

The agreement allocates $91 million in U.S. funding and $51 million in co-financing from Guinea, to be implemented between 2026 and 2030. Key priorities include strengthening laboratory networks, expanding malaria surveillance, and transferring technical skills to local health professionals to ensure long-term capacity. The partnership also emphasizes biosafety standards and rapid response systems for infectious disease outbreaks, with Guinea aiming to achieve independent health system management by 2030.

The U.S. State Department highlighted that the MOU aligns with broader efforts to foster "country-led health systems" while addressing cross-border health threats. This agreement follows similar partnerships with Guatemala, El Salvador, and 22 other nations under the Trump administration's global health strategy, which has mobilized over $20.2 billion in total funding since its inception.

Guinea's contribution underscores its commitment to shared responsibility, with domestic co-financing reflecting a strategic shift toward national ownership of health initiatives. The partnership builds on decades of U.S. support for global health programs, including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis prevention, while addressing emerging challenges such as mpox and other infectious diseases.

The MOU is one of 24 bilateral health agreements signed by the U.S. with African and Central American countries, representing a coordinated approach to strengthening public health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness.

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