(Ghana President, John Mahama. Punch newspaper)
A source close to the West African country’s leadership told AFP that Ghana had terminated negotiations for a multi-year aid agreement with the United States after Washington sought access to individuals’ personal information.
Since US President Donald Trump’s government disbanded the long-standing USAID organization and limited the involvement of NGOs, the US has begun negotiating new health aid agreements throughout Africa.
The insider stated this week, “The deal is dead,” pointing out that Ghana’s negotiation team included health professionals, implying that health may have played a role.
The source told AFP that when Ghana resisted the request for personal data, the US team turned “hostile” and increased “pressure.”
AFP’s request for comment was not immediately answered by a representative for Ghana’s health ministry.
The source, who spoke to AFP under condition of anonymity, stated that the arrangement would have given Ghana $109 million in funding for five years. However, the source did not identify the proposal’s precise areas of focus.
The US State Department “does not disclose the details of ongoing bilateral negotiations,” a representative told AFP via email, adding that the money would have helped “fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.”