The United States will phase out its $45 million annual financial support for Namibia's HIV response programs after the 2027 fiscal year, shifting to providing only technical cooperation, according to a joint statement from both countries. Namibia has received this funding through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief since 2003, totaling over $1.1 billion to date, as reported by fortune.com.
This decision follows Namibia’s rejection of proposed provisions requiring the sharing of health data and biological specimens with the United States, citing concerns over privacy, sovereignty, and legal issues. The Trump administration has pursued country-specific agreements aimed at reducing donor dependency and increasing domestic financing while protecting American interests. Since late last year, Washington has signed such agreements with about 30 countries, many in Africa, but some nations including Ghana and Zimbabwe have rejected or withdrawn from similar deals over data access concerns, fortune.com detailed.
The move reflects a broader shift in U.S. foreign aid policy under the Trump administration’s “America First” approach, which has prioritized reducing reliance on U.S. funding in recipient countries. Namibia’s transition to self-funding its HIV programs marks a significant change in the landscape of international health aid in southern Africa. Comparable agreements and funding withdrawals have stirred debate about balancing aid effectiveness with national sovereignty and data privacy, according to fortune.com.
Namibia will receive the final $45 million in U.S. HIV aid in fiscal year 2027, after which the country will assume full financial responsibility for its HIV response programs, with the U.S. continuing only technical cooperation, fortune.com reported.