US Plans Namibia HIV Aid Phaseout After Dispute

The United States will provide Namibia with $45 million for HIV programs in fiscal year 2027, then phase out direct financial support and shift to technical cooperation as Namibia assumes responsibility for funding its response. Washington says it has contributed more than $1.1 billion to Namibia’s HIV efforts since 2003 through PEPFAR. The transition follows the Trump administration’s America First approach to foreign aid and Namibia’s rejection of proposed requirements to share health data and biological specimens, which officials said raised privacy, sovereignty and legal concerns. The two countries are reportedly negotiating a new bilateral health agreement, while Namibia says it has achieved epidemic control and surpassed global HIV targets. The shift is part of a broader U.S. effort to negotiate country-specific aid agreements across Africa, though Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Zambia have also objected to data-sharing provisions or related terms.