By Staff Reporter
THE United States has urged Zimbabwe to urgently take over HIV/AIDS programs and sustain the positive gains which the former immensely contributed towards over the past years.
Since Zimbabwe’s independence, the U.S. government has provided more than $5 billion in humanitarian and development assistance to the Zimbabwean people, including more than $1 billion in the past three years alone.
The nation has so far remained the largest provider of development and humanitarian assistance, including through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and Feed the Future hunger and food security initiative.
Before halting the humanitarian works under the Donald Trump Administration’s spearheaded America First Agenda , the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was currently working towards strengthening its programs on health, development ,cultural exchange among others.
In a statement against a background of ongoing developments, the US Embassy in Zimbabwe said consistent with Trump’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, Secretary Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID for review.
The mission said Rubio is initiating a review of all foreign assistance programs to ensure they are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda.
“At this moment, in order to do a thorough review, all programs and grants without a waiver approved by the Secretary of State using foreign assistance funding are paused. It is time for Zimbabwe to take seriously its responsibility for the health of its people.
“ For HIV, Zimbabwe has hit the 95/95/95 targets. They urgently need to be focused on buying ART and getting nurses in clinics. They can do this,” the US mission said.
