US ends HIV aid to South Africa amid Afrikaner‑persecution claim

Fri Jun 19 2026 20:12:01 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The United States stops funding HIV programmes in South Africa after an executive order decrying alleged persecution of Afrikaner minorities. South Africa vows to step up self‑reliance.

The U.S. government announced it will discontinue funding for South Africa's HIV/AIDS programs, citing complaints that the country fails to protect the Afrikaner community. The decision, part of a phased drawdown of the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), follows a Trump‑era executive order that challenged South Africa’s race‑based policies. South Africa’s health ministry says it was not notified of the cut and is pursuing self‑reliance, pledging that critical antiretroviral drugs remain funded by the national budget. Relations between Nairobi and Pretoria have deteriorated since 2024, with failed negotiations and boycotted international meetings highlighting a strained partnership. The move threatens the lives of more than eight million South Africans living with HIV, the continent’s highest prevalence.

US ends HIV aid to South Africa amid Afrikaner‑persecution claim

The United States has decided to halt funding for its HIV/AIDS programmes in South Africa, a move announced by the State Department following a Trump‑era executive order that criticised the country’s race‑based policies. The order alleged that South Africa’s government failed to protect members of the Afrikaner community from persecution, citing so‑called “white genocide”.

PEPFAR, which had poured roughly $400 million into the country’s AIDS response each year until 2025, will see a phased drawdown. South Africa’s Health Ministry stated that it had been unaware of the decision and is working on a self‑reliance strategy, assuring that lifesaving antiretroviral drugs continue to be funded through the national budget.

South Africa currently has more than eight million people living with HIV—the highest number in the world. The withdrawal raises concerns about the country’s ability to sustain critical treatment and prevention services without U.S. support.

Relations between the United States and South Africa have been strained since the 2024 inauguration of President Donald Trump. The Obama‑era administration had already cited security and policy disputes, and the Trump administration further criticised South Africa’s political and economic reforms. High‑profile attempts to mend ties, including a White‑House meeting in 2025 and a boycott of the 2025 G20 summit hosted in South Africa, have not materialised.

The U.S. justification for the cut is that South Africa, a middle‑income country, is capable of self‑sufficiency in its health programmes. The U.S. remains skeptical of South Africa’s progress on its policy demands, citing a lack of demonstrable evidence that the country has made the required reforms.

The decision highlights the growing fraught relationship between Washington and Pretoria, with the removal of aid potentially affecting millions of South Africans who rely on treatment and prevention programs. The political fallout may also influence South Africa’s role in global affairs, including its engagements in the International Court of Justice and broader international dialogues.