9. Agency for International Development · Minor

Build USAID programs on existing private and church-led initiatives in Africa

Partially done

Printed page 276 9. Agency for International Development

“USAID should build on, not compete with, private-sector initiatives launched by global churches, corporate philanthropists, and diaspora groups that have already invested billions of dollars in self-reliance–based projects.”

What has happened

Mar 19, 2026 Partially done
State's Africa Bureau states the general case: a shift "from aid to trade", engaging African nations "not as aid recipients, but as capable commercial partners", supporting over 60 private deals worth more than $25 billion, and moving "from an infantilizing NGO industrial complex modal to an approach that treats Africans as capable partners". Diaspora groups and corporate philanthropists, the other two constituencies the Quote names, do not appear.
- Nick Checker, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs, "America First in Africa" — the commercial-diplomacy strategy: embassy deal teams, EXIM and DFC financing, "over 60 different deals worth more than 25 billion dollars"
  Primary Executive branch Mar 19, 2026
Dec 20, 2025 Partially done
The Nigeria bilateral health memorandum of understanding is exactly the model the Quote asks for, built by the Department rather than USAID: five years, nearly $2.1 billion of United States funding against nearly $3 billion of Nigerian co-investment, "a strong emphasis on promoting Christian faith-based health care providers", and "significant dedicated funding to support Christian health care facilities" among the 900 faith-based clinics and hospitals that already serve more than 30 per cent of Nigerians — building on an existing church-led network rather than standing up a parallel one.
- Department of State, "Expanding Faith-Based Healthcare in Nigeria Through the America First Global Health Strategy" — five-year bilateral health MOU with "significant dedicated funding to support Christian health care facilities"
  Primary Executive branch Dec 20, 2025

Research log

What was searched, and what didn’t count as evidence

Research notes

Congress wrote a version of the same instruction into P.L. 119-75 §7011(a)(2)(D): the foreign-assistance effectiveness strategy must analyze “increasing partnerships with local organizations, including faith-based organizations” with awards of not more than $2,000,000. Leveled on #732 and #748; noted here because it is the statutory backing for the same shift.

Action: other
Object: USAID programming alongside private-sector and church initiatives in Africa
ID: 745