Why the US is funding Zipline’s drones instead of traditional foreign aid programmes in Africa
Rather than channel resources through conventional foreign aid programmes, the United States has committed $150 million to Zipline, the world’s largest medical drone delivery service, in an approach to global health funding across Africa.
The investment, announced this week, will expand Zipline’s operations in Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, enabling drone deliveries of blood, vaccines and essential medicines to reach millions more people. It is one of the first major global health commitments since the Trump administration froze large portions of U.S. foreign assistance, dismantled USAID and launched its new “America First” global health strategy.
The new model relies on pay-for-performance contracts. Under the arrangement, participating African governments sign long-term logistics agreements with Zipline, which could total up to $400 million over time.
U.S. officials say the strategy aims to prioritise “efficiency, accountability and measurable outcomes” over previous grant-based systems.
“This partnership is an example of the innovative, results-driven approach at the core of the America First foreign assistance agenda,” said Jeremy Lewin, the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom.
Why Drones?
Zipline has become a critical part of African health systems since launching in Rwanda in 2016. Its autonomous drones deliver medical supplies to rural clinics in minutes, bypassing poor roads, power shortages and supply-chain bottlenecks that have long undermined healthcare access.
“The health systems don’t serve most people well,” said Caitlin Burton, CEO of Zipline Africa. “You can’t pave every road, electrify every facility, or guarantee every refrigerator works. But you can deliver what people need, when they need it.”
The company currently operates in seven countries worldwide but has its strongest footprint in Africa.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
