The United States on Thursday signed a $2.5 billion health aid deal with Kenya, the first such bilateral agreement after President Donald Trump tore down the historic US aid agency and sidelined NGOs.

Trump administration officials said the agreement would be the first in a series of agreements with developing countries' governments, which will be asked to share the bill and cooperate with Washington on other priorities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the agreement in Washington with Kenyan President William Ruto, whom he praised for the longtime US partner's assistance in troubled Haiti.

"If we had five or 10 countries willing to step forward and do just half of what Kenya has done already, it would be an extraordinary achievement," Rubio said.

Kenya has led a security force to

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