South African civil groups warn of dire impact as U.S. phases out HIV program funding

By — Mogomotsi Magome, Associated Press Mogomotsi Magome, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/south-african-civil-groups-warn-of-dire-impact-as-u-s-phases-out-hiv-program-funding Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter South African civil groups warn of dire impact as U.S. phases out HIV program funding World Jun 25, 2026 1:57 PM EDT JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Civil society organizations in South Africa said Wednesday that adolescent girls and women are among the first vulnerable groups to feel the pinch of U.S. foreign aid cuts as the Trump administration phases out its more than $400 million support annually for the country's HIV programs. The U.S. State Department has said that it would "begin a phased drawdown" of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, a program that has supported South Africa's battle against HIV and AIDS for the last 20 years and is widely credited with saving more than 20 million lives over that period. READ MORE: Vulnerable South Africans struggle to find HIV medication after U.S. foreign aid cuts The phasing out of most programs is expected to be completed by the end of September, with critical personnel support continuing through March next year, according to the U.S. State Department. South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV, with approximately 8 million people, or about 12.7 % of its 63 million population. The country was singled out for the halting of financial aid in addition to broader foreign aid cuts announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in an executive order issued in January 2025. Trump announced a halt to all financial aid to the country the following month, citing political issues which included South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment policies and widely disputed allegations of a genocide against the white minority Afrikaner community in the country. He also cited South Africa's land expropriation laws as targeting white Afrikaners and condemned the country's actions against Israel at the International Court of Justice, where it has accused Israel of committing a genocide in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies the allegation and has said that the attack by Hamas-led militants on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people, was itself a genocidal act. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told The Associated Press this week that the South African government had been informed that PEPFAR would be withdrawn if these issues weren't addressed, which included a requirement for senior government officials to "unequivocally condemn all race-based incitement to violence, including the 'Kill the Boer' song, more frequently." The anti-apartheid liberation song has been interpreted by some as calling for violence against Afrikaners. According to the South African government, the PEPFAR funding for South Africa was equivalent to about 17% of its budget for HIV programs, but