The United States government has announced plans to gradually withdraw funding for HIV and AIDS programmes in South Africa, citing concerns about the treatment of the country’s white Afrikaner minority.
According to a US State Department official, the decision follows South Africa’s failure to address issues raised by the Trump administration.
The official also noted that South Africa’s status as a middle-income nation means it has the financial capacity to support its own healthcare initiatives.
For many years, the US has played a significant role in South Africa’s fight against HIV through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), providing approximately $400 million annually. The programme has accounted for nearly 20 percent of the country’s HIV-related expenditure.
US officials said the planned withdrawal would be implemented gradually and is intended to encourage South Africa to become less dependent on foreign assistance.
In response, South Africa’s Health Ministry said it had not received formal notification of the funding decision. However, the ministry stated that it had already been developing strategies to reduce reliance on international funding sources.
The ministry further emphasized that the majority of life-saving antiretroviral medications are financed by the South African government and would remain unaffected by the US move.
South Africa currently has more than eight million people living with HIV, the highest number globally.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have become increasingly strained in recent years over a range of issues, including South Africa’s efforts to address inequalities rooted in the apartheid era and differences in foreign policy positions.
President Trump has repeatedly accused South Africa of failing to protect Afrikaners, an allegation that the South African government has consistently denied.
