Under a five-year bilateral deal, Washington will contribute nearly $2.1 billion to help prevent HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and polio, and to protect maternal and child health, a US State Department spokeman said. Trump last month stunned many by posting on social media that the United States was ready to take military action in Nigeria to counter the killing of Christians. The deal signed Saturday "was negotiated in connection with reforms the Nigerian government has made to prioritize protecting Christian populations from violence," the State Department spokeman said. The United States in early December signed a $2.5 billion health aid deal with Kenya, the first such bilateral agreement since Trump tore down USAID and sidelined NGOs. Since returning to power, Donald Trump has closed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the world's largest aid agency, and ordered an overhaul of American foreign aid under the banner of "America First."

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha December 21, 2025 02:57 UTC