US to end Namibia HIV funding after data-sharing dispute, shift to technical aid

Windhoek,UPDATED: Sep 5, 2026 18:36 IST

The United States will begin phasing out its financial support for Namibia’s HIV response programmes, with the country set to receive USD 45 million in the 2027 fiscal year before moving to fund its own HIV programmes. After that, the US will provide only technical cooperation, according to a joint statement by the two countries.

The move makes Namibia the latest country in southern Africa to be affected by the US administration’s withdrawal of foreign aid. While the funding cut had been expected after the Trump administration announced its ‘America First’ approach to foreign aid, it also comes after Namibia rejected proposed provisions on sharing health data and biological specimens with the United States, citing privacy, sovereignty and legal concerns.

Namibia has received around USD 45 million every year in recent years through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The United States has said it has contributed more than USD 1.1 billion to Namibia’s HIV response since 2003.

The Trump administration has been pursuing country-by-country agreements which Washington says are meant to reduce donor dependency, increase domestic financing and protect American interests. The US has signed agreements with about 30 countries since late last year, many of them in Africa.

However, some countries have pushed back. Ghana rejected a proposed agreement over access to sensitive health data, Zimbabwe withdrew from a USD 367 million package over similar concerns, and a court challenge has put Kenya’s USD 2.5 billion agreement on hold. Zambia has also objected to data-sharing demands.

Namibian officials had earlier said the proposed provisions in their original form were “not in compliance with Namibia’s national laws” and infringed constitutional privacy protections and national sovereignty over biological resources. Both governments are reported to be negotiating a new bilateral health agreement.

The joint statement said Namibia had surpassed UNAIDS targets, with 96 per cent of people living with HIV knowing their status, 98 per cent of those diagnosed receiving treatment, and 98 per cent of those treated achieving viral suppression. “Over the next year, this support will transition into a technical cooperation model as the HIV response is fully integrated into Namibia’s sustainable national health system, in line with Namibia’s national laws,” the governments said.

The US recently also announced the phasing out of more than USD 400 million in annual support for South Africa’s HIV programmes and has started a “phased drawdown” of PEPFAR support there. In Namibia, the shift marks the end of direct US financial backing for HIV programmes after years of support, with the focus now moving to technical cooperation and domestic funding.

With PTI Inputs

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