U.S. and Liberia Sign Historic $124M Health Cooperation MOU

Monrovia, Liberia: Liberia has become the first country in West Africa and only the third in Africa after Kenya and Rwanda to sign a landmark health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States Government. The agreement, valued at more than US$124 million over five years, aims to strengthen Liberia’s health system, boost disease surveillance, and expand the country’s frontline health workforce.

The MOU was signed in Washington, D.C., by Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mme. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, and the U.S. State Department’s Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom, Jeremy P. Lewin. The U.S. State Department now oversees foreign assistance programs including humanitarian aid and economic development initiatives.

Speaking at the ceremony, Under Secretary Lewin described the agreement as a major step forward in U.S. Liberia relations. He said the partnership reflects both nations’ shared commitment to health security, innovation in disease response, and long-term resilience. He praised Liberia for taking a leadership role in regional health cooperation.

Minister Nyanti, representing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., expressed gratitude to the United States for its continued support to Liberia’s development. She also acknowledged the critical role of Health Minister Dr. Louise Kpoto and her team, who helped craft the technical details of the agreement.

The five-year partnership outlines a major U.S. investment of US$124,418,400 aimed at improving public health outcomes across the country. Key areas of support include:

• Expanded disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response

• Strengthening national and regional laboratory systems

• Modernizing the supply chain for medicines and essential health commodities

• Deploying and scaling up frontline healthcare workers

• Developing integrated digital health information systems

• Strategic investments in maternal, child, and infectious disease services

The signing marks a significant milestone for Liberia’s health sector at a time when the country continues to recover from past health emergencies and strives to build a more resilient system capable of responding to future challenges.

The agreement is expected to accelerate progress toward a stronger, more robust, and better-equipped health system for millions of Liberians nationwide.