In a statement issued February 24, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont said the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) would have delivered five years of funding to support Zimbabwe’s priority health sectors, including HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and outbreak preparedness.

"We believe this collaboration would have delivered extraordinary benefits for Zimbabwean communities—especially the 1.2 million men, women, and children currently receiving HIV treatment through U.S.-supported programs,” Tremont said. "We will now turn to the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our health assistance in Zimbabwe.”

According to the embassy, the proposed MOU was structured as a co-funding partnership, requiring Zimbabwe to incrementally increase domestic health financing alongside U.S. contributions. U.S. officials described it as the largest potential health investment in Zimbabwe by any international partner and part of a broader shift toward sustainability and shared accountability.

Since 2006, the United States has invested more than $1.9 billion in Zimbabwe’s health sector, primarily through HIV/AIDS programming credited with helping the country achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 treatment targets. The embassy said 16 African nations have signed similar health MOUs with Washington, representing $18.3 billion in combined commitments.

"The United States has a responsibility to American taxpayers to invest their resources where mutual accountability, transparency, and shared commitment are assured,” Tremont said.

Zimbabwean officials have not publicly detailed the reasons for withdrawing from negotiations. The government has, however, assured U.S. counterparts that it is prepared to sustain HIV/AIDS programs independently.