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The United States State Department has apologised after an inaccurate map of Africa was displayed during a presentation at the AIDS 2026 Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The map, which was intended to highlight African countries benefiting from US-funded HIV programmes, wrongly labelled and misplaced every country shown, sparking criticism from delegates and widespread reaction online.
The State Department described the incident as “an unfortunate error” and accepted full responsibility, explaining that a team member made last-minute changes to the presentation before the conference. Despite the mistake, US officials stressed that the discussions at the event remained focused on strengthening global HIV/AIDS response efforts through programmes such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The erroneous map quickly circulated on social media, drawing criticism from health experts and African delegates, who questioned the accuracy of a presentation delivered at a major international health forum. The State Department has since apologised and reaffirmed its commitment to working with African partners in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
