US to phase out HIV funding in South Africa amid political dispute

International

FOR years, US funding has been a key part of South Africa’s fight against HIV.

That support is now set to diminish, with Washington confirming a phased withdrawal from programmes aimed at tackling the virus.

The move affects assistance provided through the President’s Emergency Fund for Aids Relief (Pepfar), which until 2025 contributed an estimated $400 million (£300 million) annually to South Africa’s HIV response. South Africa has the world’s largest HIV-positive population, with more than eight million people living with the virus.

According to a BBC report, a US State Department official confirmed that a “phased drawdown” of Pepfar funding would begin, citing “South Africa’s failure to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by the administration”.

The official said the decision was aimed at encouraging greater self-reliance and reducing dependence on US assistance, adding that South Africa, as a middle-income country, has the capacity to fully finance its own health programmes.

The funding rollback comes amid deteriorating relations between Washington and Pretoria since President Donald Trump returned to office.

Soon after his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order alleging that “countless” South African policies had undermined equal opportunity and encouraged violence “against racially disfavored landowners”.

South Africa has rejected those claims, maintaining that its Black Economic Empowerment policy is necessary to address deep economic disparities rooted in apartheid.

The executive order also referenced South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its ties with Iran. The White House said that because of these “unjust and immoral practices”, further aid to South Africa would not be provided.

Trump has also repeatedly claimed that a “white genocide” is taking place in South Africa. The allegation, which has been widely discredited, prompted the administration to establish a refugee programme for Afrikaners, descendants of European settlers who arrived in southern Africa in the 17th Century. Afrikaners are currently among the few refugee groups being admitted into the United States.

Funding through Pepfar had temporarily continued under what was described as a “bridge plan” introduced last October. However, the latest confirmation from the State Department indicates that support will now be gradually reduced.

South Africa’s health ministry said it had not been formally informed about the decision but emphasised that planning for greater financial independence was already in progress.

It added that the country had been developing a long-term self-reliance strategy and noted that while Pepfar had been an important contributor to South Africa’s HIV response, funding for antiretroviral treatment is managed separately. It also stressed that most of the financing for these medicines comes from the South African government.

Pepfar has accounted for roughly one-fifth of South Africa’s overall HIV programme spending.

Efforts to improve relations between the two countries have so far failed to gain traction. Among them was a high-profile White House meeting between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa just over a year ago, during which Trump challenged his counterpart with claims of persecution against white South Africans.

Tensions were also evident when the United States chose not to participate in the G20 summit hosted by South Africa last November.(MyTVCebu)