US go stop to fund HIV programmes for South Africa
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- Author, Damian Zane
- Published
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Di US govment say dem go stop to fund programmes for South Africa wey intend to tackle di spread of HIV and Aids.
More dan eight million South Africans dey live wit HIV - di highest number of any kontri for di world.
Di US State Department appear to link di decision to South Africa alleged failure to protect di white-minority Afrikaner community, allegation wey di South African govment don repeatedly reject.
South Africa health ministry say though US neva inform dem of dis decision, "for long dem don dey work on self-reliance plan".
Until 2025, di US bin dey support South Africa efforts to deal wit di virus wit estimated $400m (£300m) a year through di President's Emergency Fund for Aids Relief (Pepfar).
But since di inauguration of President Donald Trump, relations between two kontris don go bad.
Shortly afta e enta office, Trump bin issue executive order and allege say "countless" South African policies bin dismantle equal opportunities and fuel violence "against racially disfavoured landowners".
Di South African govment dispute am as dem say dia Black Economic Empowerment policy dey needed to correct economic inequality wey date back to di apartheid era.
Di executive order also highlight South Africa case against Israel at di International Court of Justice and dia links to Iran.
Di White House say becos of dis "unjust and immoral practices", further aid to South Africa no go dey provided.
Trump don also falsely allege say "white genocide" dey take place for South Africa, wey don make di administration set up one refugee programme for Afrikaners - descendants of western Europeans wey bin settle for southern Africa for di 17th Century. Dem now dey just about di only refugees wey US dey allow into dia kontri.
Di genocide claim don dey widely discredited.
Pepfar funding, wey don dey provide about a fifth of South Africa total spending on HIV programmes, get reprieve last October wit wetin dem call "bridge plan".
But one US State Department official don confam say a "phased drawdown" of Pepfar funding go now start.
Dis na becos of "South Africa failure to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by di administration", di official tok.
Di intention of di US govment na to "foster self-reliance" and reduce dependency on American funding, e add, and point out say "South Africa na middle-income kontri and dem dey more dan capable to support dia own health programmes".
South Africa health ministry don tok say while Pepfar contribute to di kontri HIV programme, di provision of life-saving antiretroviral drugs bin dey funded entirely separately, wit most coming from di govment.
Attempts to mend US-South Africa relations don fail. Dis include high-profile White House meeting between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa just ova one year ago wen di US president confront im counterpart wit im claims of white persecution.
Di US bin also ignore di G20 meeting, wey be gathering of di world major economies, wey South Africa bin host last year.
Additional reporting by Pumza Fihlani for Johannesburg
