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<p>A senior health official from the State Department used a map of Africa during an international AIDS conference in Brazil to illustrate U.S. government funding for HIV programs on the continent, presenting at a pre-conference session.</p>
<p>The map contained inaccuracies, with several African countries misidentified, and appeared to show potential directions for health grants in Africa during the event.</p>
<p>The session, at AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, focused on the status of U.S. government relations with African governments. Reuters obtained images from the session and reported that the map carried an artificial intelligence watermark linked to tools from OpenAI. Screenshots were first published in a Substack post and circulated on LinkedIn.</p>
<p>The State Department characterized the misprint as an unfortunate error stemming from a team member who modified a slide hastily, and it said it took full responsibility for the misprint.</p>
<p>The administration’s cuts to a major global HIV program last year led to significant decreases in both prevention and treatment. The program, known as PEPFAR, supported treatment for about 77,000 fewer children in 2025 compared with the previous year, a 14 percent drop, according to a study whose results are to be presented at the conference.</p>
<p>A State Department spokesman stated that the department is moving away from a legacy assistance model toward genuine country ownership.</p>
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