Africa-Press. The U.S. government has announced that it will stop funding programs in South Africa aimed at combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. More than eight million South Africans are living with HIV, the highest number in the world.
The U.S. State Department has seemingly linked the decision to alleged shortcomings by South Africa in protecting the Afrikaner community, a white minority, a claim that the South African government has repeatedly denied. The South African Department of Health responded by stating that it had not been informed of this decision, but it has “long been working on a plan for self-sufficiency.”
Until 2025, the United States was supporting South Africa’s efforts to combat the virus with an estimated $400 million (£300 million) annually through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
However, since Donald Trump took office, relations between the two countries have increasingly deteriorated. Shortly after taking office, Trump issued an executive order claiming that South Africa’s “countless” policies had undermined equal opportunity and fueled violence “against marginalized landowners.”
The South African government denies this claim, asserting that its policies to economically empower black citizens are essential to correcting the economic disparities rooted in the apartheid era.
The executive order also highlighted South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its relations with Iran. The White House stated that due to these “unjust and unethical practices,” no additional aid would be provided to South Africa.
Trump falsely claimed that there was a “genocide of whites” in South Africa, prompting the administration to create a program for African refugees – descendants of Western Europeans who settled in South Africa in the 17th century. They are now nearly the only refugees allowed to enter the United States. The genocide claim has been widely debunked.
Funding for the PEPFAR program, which covered about one-fifth of South Africa’s total spending on HIV/AIDS programs, received a temporary reprieve last October under what was termed a “transitional plan.” However, a U.S. State Department official confirmed the beginning of a “gradual withdrawal” of PEPFAR funding.
The official explained that this was due to “South Africa not making tangible progress in meeting policy requests put forth by the U.S. administration.” They added that the U.S. government’s goal is to “promote self-sufficiency” and reduce reliance on U.S. funding, noting that “South Africa is a middle-income country and fully capable of supporting its health programs.”
The South African Department of Health stated that while PEPFAR has contributed to the country’s HIV/AIDS response, the provision of life-saving antiretroviral drugs is funded separately, primarily by the government.
Attempts to repair relations between the United States and South Africa have failed. These include a high-level meeting at the White House between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa just over a year ago, where the U.S. president confronted his counterpart over his claims regarding the persecution of whites. The United States also boycotted the G20 summit, a gathering of the world’s largest economies, which was hosted by South Africa last November.
