US government map of Africa mislabels every country at global conference
State department ‘takes full responsibility’ for erroneous, widely shared chart displayed at Aids conference in Brazil A US government map of Africa mislabeled every country during a state department presentation at a global conference in Brazil this week, causing a stir among attenders who took screenshots and posted them online. Reuters viewed a video of the presentation given at the Aids 2026…
During a recent AIDS conference in Brazil, a US government map of Africa sparked controversy by inaccurately labeling every country on the continent. The map, displayed in a presentation on the State Department's new health agreements, showed Nigeria as landlocked in the Sahara desert, Mozambique in the Horn of Africa, and Côte d'Ivoire on the opposite side of the continent.
The error was attributed to a team member who hastily altered a slide deck before the event. The State Department acknowledged full responsibility for the confusion and misrepresentation, expressing regret for the situation caused among attendees, including African partners. The presentation, given by the top US health envoy Jeff Graham, did not respond to inquiries.
Despite the map, the conference discussions were described as "substantive and constructive," with the State Department remaining committed to fighting AIDS. The current administration's decision to pause funding for AIDS initiatives last year has disrupted aid programs globally, though core work such as the provision of life-saving drugs has resumed.
The US plans to scale back spending on prevention and surveillance, with the goal of fully phasing out the program in South Africa.
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