The United States government has announced a phased withdrawal of funding for HIV and AIDS initiatives in South Africa, citing the country’s lack of progress on key policy demands and its status as a middle-income nation capable of greater self-reliance.
The decision affects the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has provided approximately $400 million annually to South Africa, the country with the world’s largest HIV-positive population, exceeding eight million people.
The funding, which represented roughly one-fifth of South Africa’s HIV program budget, had been extended temporarily through a bridge plan last October.
A State Department official confirmed the drawdown, stating it aims to reduce dependency on American assistance. The move is linked to broader political disagreements that have escalated since President Donald Trump’s return to office.
In one of his early actions, Trump signed an executive order criticizing South African policies for allegedly undermining equal opportunities and contributing to violence against “racially disfavored landowners.”
The order also referenced South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its diplomatic relations with Iran as points of contention. The White House indicated that such “unjust and immoral practices” would preclude further aid.
Trump has repeatedly alleged a “white genocide” in South Africa, claims widely discredited by fact-checkers and his administration has established a refugee program for Afrikaners, descendants of early European settlers.
South Africa’s government has rejected the accusations, defending its Black Economic Empowerment policies as essential for redressing apartheid-era inequalities.
In response to the funding announcement, South Africa’s health ministry said it had not yet received formal notification but emphasized its ongoing efforts toward self-reliance.
Officials reassured citizens that the supply of antiretroviral medicines remains primarily funded by the South African government and is not directly threatened.
The funding cut is expected to add pressure to South Africa’s public health system, though authorities maintain they are prepared to sustain core HIV treatment and prevention services.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated in recent years. A high-profile meeting between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa saw the U.S. leader raise concerns about alleged discrimination against white South Africans. Ties were further strained when the United States boycotted the G20 summit hosted by South Africa last November.
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