African CDC Warns on Sovereignty Risks in US Health Aid Deals with African Nations

The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Jean Kaseya warned that emerging U.S. bilateral health agreements with African governments carry significant concerns over data governance and pathogen sharing, as negotiations reshape billions of dollars in global health funding.

Kaseya said there were “huge concerns regarding data, regarding pathogen sharing,” reflecting unease among several governments and civil society groups about the scope and conditions embedded in the deals.

The agreements form part of a broader restructuring of U.S. global health assistance under President Donald Trump’s administration, which dismantled its aid agency last year and pledged to align funding with an “America First” strategy.

The bilateral compacts typically govern multi-year disbursements tied to disease control, epidemic preparedness, and health systems strengthening.

Zimbabwe withdrew from a proposed $367 million agreement covering the next five years, citing concerns about sensitive data and describing the arrangement as unequal.

Zambia delayed signing a five-year deal worth over $1 billion, saying it had pushed back on sections that did not align with national interests.

Advocates warned the Zambian draft included potential mining linkages and a 10-year data-sharing provision. Under the pathogen-sharing clauses, participating countries would be required to promptly share data on infectious agents that could spark epidemics.

Critics note the agreements do not guarantee that vaccines or treatments developed from that information would be made available to affected countries.

As of late 2025, 17 African countries, including Nigeria and Uganda, have signed similar agreements while Kenya’s High Court suspended parts of its arrangement in late 2025 due to health data privacy concerns.

Kaseya said Africa CDC had declined to act as an observer to the negotiations out of respect for national sovereignty but would support member states that seek technical advice. “I said to all of my countries, you have full support from Africa CDC. Even if you want to re-negotiate… if you want Africa CDC to be there, we’ll be there,” he said.

Civil society organizations across Africa and beyond have intensified scrutiny. Public Citizen coordinated a December 2025 letter signed by more than 50 African and global groups urging leaders to demand fair terms, warning of risks to privacy, human rights, and national security from expansive U.S. access to data and pathogens, including onward sharing with third parties without consent.

According to The Guardian, Health Global Access Project Director Asia Russell has described the deals as exploitative, particularly where health assistance is linked to mining concessions, citing Zambia as an example.

Resilience Action Network Africa’s Executive Director Aggrey Aluso called pathogen and data sharing the “most contentious” element, arguing that the agreements reconfigure control over health assets.

The Consumer Federation of Kenya also filed litigation that led to the Kenyan court’s suspension of data-sharing provisions, arguing the deal risked “ceding strategic control” over health systems and pharmaceutical responses.

Kaseya said he initially welcomed the funding redesign because it could channel resources more directly to African states while requiring co-investment.

However, he emphasized that technical cooperation must not undermine sovereign control over public health infrastructure.