Broadening the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Engagement In South and Central Asia

On April 6, the United States signed a bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Republic of Tajikistan under the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS). This breakthrough MOU marks the first bilateral health cooperation signed in the South and Central Asia region and aims to protect Americans from infectious disease threats while strengthening U.S.-Tajikistan relations. 

Through the MOU worth $78 million and working with Congress, the Department of State intends to provide $38 million over the next five years to support Tajikistan’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, while bolstering disease surveillance and outbreak response. The Government of Tajikistan commits to increasing its own domestic health expenditures by $40 million over the course of the five-year MOU, demonstrating Tajikistan’s commitment to greater self-reliance in its health system. 

With support from the U.S. Government, Tajikistan aims to build a national system capable of detecting, reporting, and responding to infectious disease outbreaks within specified timelines, integrating all disease surveillance and laboratory systems. The MOU will strengthen global health security programs and support HIV and tuberculosis prevention, including Multi-Drug-Resistant tuberculosis.  

Investing in Tajikistan’s health response strengthens America’s global leadership and advances our economic interests. A healthier Tajikistan means a more stable Central Asian region, which benefits American businesses operating in the area and protects supply chains critical to U.S. prosperity. U.S. support for health programs demonstrates American values and enhances our diplomatic influence in a strategically important region. 

America First Global Health Strategy Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed so far represent more than $20.6 billion in new health funding including more than $12.8 billion in U.S. assistance alongside $7.8 billion in co-investment from recipient countries, building on decades of progress fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases around the world. As of April 7, the State Department has signed 29 bilateral global health MOUs with Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, and Uganda.