US to stop funding HIV programmes in South Africa

June 19, 2026

The United States has announced it will discontinue funding for HIV/AIDS programs in South Africa, which currently has over eight million people living with HIV—more than any other nation globally. The decision appears connected to tensions over South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment policies, which the Trump administration characterizes as discriminatory against the white Afrikaner minority, though South Africa disputes this claim and maintains these policies address apartheid-era inequalities. Previously, the US contributed approximately $400 million annually through PEPFAR, representing about one-fifth of South Africa's HIV program spending.

Who is affected

Over eight million South Africans living with HIV
The white-minority Afrikaner community (cited by US as justification)
The Black majority population benefiting from economic empowerment policies
South Africa's health ministry and HIV program administrators
President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration
PEPFAR program recipients in South Africa

What action is being taken

The US is conducting a "phased drawdown" of PEPFAR funding
South Africa's health ministry is working on a self-reliance plan
The US administration has set up a refugee program specifically for Afrikaners

Why it matters

This decision affects millions of people living with HIV in the country with the world's highest number of cases, potentially disrupting programs that previously received one-fifth of their total funding from US sources. The withdrawal represents a significant deterioration in US-South Africa relations and demonstrates how geopolitical disputes over domestic policies, legal actions at international courts, and foreign relationships can directly impact critical healthcare programs for vulnerable populations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC