By By The People News Online
Monrovia, Liberia – Liberia has entered a historic bilateral health cooperation agreement with the United States, becoming the first country in West Africa—and the third in Africa after Kenya and Rwanda—to sign this category of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The $124 million, five-year partnership aims to strengthen Liberia’s health system through improved disease surveillance, upgraded laboratory capacity, rapid outbreak response, and a more resilient frontline health workforce.
The agreement was signed in Washington, D.C. by Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, and Jeremy P. Lewin, the U.S. State Department’s Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom. The U.S. State Department now oversees the implementation of all U.S. foreign assistance, including humanitarian support and economic development programs.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Under Secretary Lewin described the MOU as a significant step forward in U.S.–Liberia relations. He emphasized that Liberia’s commitment to health security and innovation in disease response positioned the country as a regional leader in long-term health systems strengthening.
Minister Nyanti, representing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., expressed Liberia’s appreciation for the deepened cooperation. She acknowledged the extensive technical work led by Health Minister Dr. Louise Kpoto and her team in finalizing the agreement.
Under the MOU, the United States plans to provide US$124,418,400 over five years to support:
- Expanded disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response
- Strengthened national and regional laboratory systems
- Modernization of medical and pharmaceutical supply chains
- Deployment and capacity-building of frontline health workers nationwide
- Development of integrated digital health information systems
- Strategic investments in maternal, child, and infectious disease services
The agreement marks a major milestone in Liberia’s public health development agenda and signals stronger bilateral engagement between the two nations.
