US to end HIV funding for South Africa over persecution claims

The Trump administration has announced it will cease funding for South Africa's HIV and AIDS programs, citing the country's middle-income status and alleged failure to protect the white-minority Afrikaner community. Until 2025, the US had been supporting these efforts with an estimated $400 million annually through the President's Emergency Fund for Aids Relief (Pepfar).

Relations between the two countries have reportedly soured since President Donald Trump took office. An executive order from Trump alleged that South African policies dismantled equal opportunities and fueled violence against landowners, a claim disputed by the South African government, which states its Black Economic Empowerment policy is necessary to correct economic inequality stemming from apartheid. The order also referenced South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its ties to Iran.

A US State Department official confirmed a 'phased drawdown' of Pepfar funding, attributing it to South Africa's 'failure to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by the administration.' The official also stated that South Africa is a middle-income country and capable of supporting its own health programs, aiming to 'foster self-reliance.'

South Africa's health ministry responded that it had not been informed of the decision but has 'long been working on a self-reliance plan.' The ministry also noted that while Pepfar contributed to the country's HIV program, the provision of antiretroviral drugs is funded separately, primarily by the government.