The Trump administration announced it will end its annual financial support for Namibia’s HIV response program. According to a joint statement released Friday by the U.S. Embassy and Namibia’s Ministry of International Relations & Trade, the United States will provide a final $45 million payment in the 2027 fiscal year. Following this payment, the partnership will shift to a technical cooperation model rather than direct financial aid.
The transition follows approximately 20 years of U.S. financial assistance through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Since 2003, the U.S. has contributed more than $1.1 billion to Namibia’s HIV response, supporting initiatives such as testing, counseling, and community-based health interventions. U.S. Ambassador John Giordano described the shift as a transition into a technical cooperation model that celebrates Namibia’s leadership.
The decision follows Namibia's rejection of proposed provisions that would have required the country to share sensitive health data and biological specimens with the U.S. Namibian officials stated that these data-sharing agreements in their proposed form did not comply with national laws and raised concerns regarding privacy and sovereignty. Similar disagreements over data access have occurred in other African nations; Ghana rejected a proposed agreement, Zimbabwe withdrew from a $367 million package, and a court challenge has put a $2.5 billion agreement in Kenya on hold.
This change affects the public health infrastructure of Namibia, which has received approximately $45 million in annual U.S. grants in recent years. The joint U.S.-Namibian effort surpassed global targets, ensuring 98% of diagnosed individuals received treatment. Without the annual U.S. payment, the HIV response is to be integrated into Namibia’s national health system.
While U.S. officials state they will remain involved through technical cooperation, Namibia will start funding its own HIV programs. The Trump administration previously created the "America First Global Health Strategy," which called for scaling down U.S. funding for global health programs it described as "inefficient and wasteful" and creating a "culture of dependency." A report from the Kaiser Family Foundation and UNAIDS found that global HIV response plunged in 2025 due to a decline in U.S. support.
The U.S. has signed agreements with about 30 countries since late last year. Other nations in the region, such as South Africa, are also facing drawdowns, including the phasing out of over $400 million in annual U.S. support for South African programs. In Namibia, the final payment is scheduled for the 2027 fiscal year. Officials from both governments are reported to be negotiating a new bilateral health agreement.