US Halts HIV Funding for South Africa Amid Policy Disputes
US to stop funding HIV programmes – The United States has announced its decision to cease financial support for initiatives in South Africa aimed at combating HIV and AIDS. With over eight million individuals living with the virus, South Africa holds the distinction of having the largest HIV-positive population globally. This move by the US State Department appears to stem from concerns over the nation’s handling of policies affecting the Afrikaner community, a group the government has consistently denied targeting.
Historical Context and Funding Shift
Until 2025, the US contributed approximately $400 million annually through the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) to South Africa’s HIV response. However, since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, bilateral relations have deteriorated. His administration cited South Africa’s policies as undermining equal opportunities and inciting racial violence against certain landowners.
“Countless” South African policies have dismantled equal opportunities and fueled violence “against racially disfavored landowners,”” the executive order claimed.
South Africa counters that its Black Economic Empowerment policies are essential to addressing historical inequalities from the apartheid era. The White House also highlighted the country’s legal actions against Israel and its ties to Iran as factors in its decision to withhold further aid.
Phased Reduction and Government Response
A US State Department official confirmed the start of a “phased drawdown” of Pepfar funds, citing South Africa’s lack of measurable progress on policy priorities. The goal, they stated, is to “foster self-reliance” and reduce dependence on American assistance, noting that “South Africa is a middle-income country and is more than capable of supporting its own health programs.”
South Africa’s health ministry acknowledged the funding reduction but emphasized that antiretroviral drug provision is largely government-funded, separate from Pepfar. They added that their “self-reliance plan” has been in development for some time, though they were not directly informed of the decision.
Strained Diplomatic Ties
Relations have further strained following Trump’s accusation of a “white genocide” in South Africa, prompting the creation of a refugee program specifically for Afrikaners. These descendants of 17th-century European settlers are now the primary group admitted under the initiative, despite the claim being widely discredited.
Efforts to improve ties, such as a high-profile White House meeting between Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa, have not yielded significant results. The US also boycotted a G20 summit hosted by South Africa last November, underscoring the ongoing tension.
Additional reporting by Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg. Visit BBCAfrica.com for more news from the continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa, or on Instagram at bbcafrica.
