US APOLOGISES AFTER DISPLAYING INACCURATE MAP OF AFRICA AT AIDS CONFERENCE
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Agency Report
The United States Department of State has admitted responsibility for displaying an inaccurate map of Africa during an international AIDS conference in Brazil, describing the incident as “an unfortunate error.”
In a statement on Thursday, a State Department spokesperson apologised for the mistake, acknowledging the confusion it caused, particularly among African delegates.
“We take full responsibility for the confusion and misrepresentation it caused for attendees, including our African partners,” the spokesperson said.
The error occurred during a slideshow presentation by the US delegation at the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro, where six African countries were incorrectly positioned on the map.
Among the inaccuracies, Nigeria was shown as a landlocked country in central Africa, Mozambique was placed in the Horn of Africa, while Côte d’Ivoire appeared in southern Africa.
The mistake drew widespread attention after conference participants shared images of the erroneous map on social media. The incident was first reported by Reuters.
According to the State Department, the error resulted from a last-minute modification to the presentation by a member of the US delegation ahead of a session on American global health assistance.
Despite the incident, the department said discussions at the conference remained “substantive and constructive.”
The 26th International AIDS Conference opened on Monday in Rio de Janeiro amid concerns over significant reductions in US international aid following President Donald Trump’s return to the White House last year.
Despite the funding cuts, the United States remains the largest public contributor to the global HIV response, accounting for 74 per cent of public funding dedicated to combating HIV worldwide, according to a UNAIDS report released during the conference.
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