The United States government has officially ended its agreement with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a global initiative dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS and working toward its eradication as a public health threat by 2030.
UNAIDS announced the termination on its website on Friday, revealing that the decision follows an Executive Order issued on January 20, 2025, by the U.S. President. The order, titled “Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign Aid,” mandated a 90-day suspension of all foreign aid to reassess its alignment with U.S. foreign policy objectives.
As a recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, UNAIDS complied with the directive by pausing contracts and activities under affected awards. However, on February 27, 2025, the organization received an official letter from the U.S. government, through USAID, confirming the immediate termination of its agreement with UNAIDS.
Describing the development as significant, UNAIDS expressed concerns over the potential disruptions to HIV treatment and prevention efforts worldwide. The organization stated that the termination affects civil society organizations, healthcare providers, and millions of individuals living with or at risk of HIV. In the letter, the U.S. government indicated that further details would follow, and UNAIDS has since sought clarification.
Prior to this decision, UNAIDS had already recorded disruptions in HIV responses across 52 countries due to the U.S. aid freeze. The impact has been particularly severe in Nigeria, which relies heavily on U.S. funding for its HIV response. Reports indicate that 47% of Nigeria’s HIV-related resources come directly from U.S. aid, with an additional 94% sourced from donor funding.
Recognizing the potential crisis, the Nigerian government recently approved $1.07 billion in funding for healthcare sector reforms and allocated ₦4.8 billion for HIV treatment. With an estimated 1.4% HIV prevalence among Nigerians aged 15 to 64, around two million people are living with HIV, of whom 1.6 million are on treatment, according to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also voiced its concerns, warning that a prolonged funding halt could reverse decades of progress in HIV treatment and prevention. WHO emphasized that such disruptions might lead to a rise in new infections and deaths, reminiscent of the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s.
As global stakeholders react to the U.S. decision, the long-term implications for HIV/AIDS programs worldwide remain uncertain.
