During the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro earlier this week, U.S. State Department officials presented a map of Africa that contained multiple geographical errors, sparking widespread online criticism. The map misplaced several nations, including Nigeria in the Sahara Desert and Mozambique in the Horn of Africa rather than its actual southeastern location. Ivory Coast, located in West Africa, was also positioned incorrectly on the opposite side of the continent. The map’s boundaries were depicted as unrecognizable shapes rather than accurate country borders.
Attendees captured video footage and screenshots of the problematic map during a presentation by Jeff Graham, the top U.S. health envoy and head of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The presentation coincided with discussions of new health agreements between the United States and African nations. Reuters investigation revealed that the map carried a watermark indicating it was likely created using OpenAI tools, prompting the company to announce an investigation into the incident.
The State Department issued a statement acknowledging “an unfortunate error,” explaining that a team member had hastily modified presentation slides immediately before the conference. Officials stated they accepted full responsibility for the confusion and misrepresentation experienced by attendees and African partners, while characterizing the substantive discussions at the conference as constructive. The incident occurred amid broader shifts in U.S. HIV funding, following the Trump administration’s pause on HIV funding last year pending review. PEPFAR’s core operations have resumed, though the U.S. continues scaling back HIV prevention and surveillance activities. The administration has also announced plans to end the program in South Africa, which carries the world’s highest HIV burden.
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