United States officials presenting at a major health conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, displayed a significantly inaccurate map of Africa, leading to online criticism and a subsequent acknowledgment of error from the US State Department. The incident occurred during the AIDS 2026 conference earlier this week.

Attendees captured videos and screenshots of the map, which was used during a presentation on the US State Department’s new health agreements with African nations. The visuals were widely shared online, drawing attention to the geographical inaccuracies.

The map, which appeared midway through a presentation by top US health envoy Jeff Graham, showed several African countries in incorrect locations. For instance, Nigeria was depicted in the Sahara region, Mozambique was placed in the eastern Horn of Africa, and Ivory Coast was shown on the opposite side of the continent from its actual location. The map's boundaries were described as indistinct blobs that did not correspond to any real national borders.

Reuters reported that the map appeared to have a watermark indicating it was created using OpenAI tools, and the company stated it is investigating the matter. The US State Department issued a statement on Thursday, admitting to "an unfortunate error." The department explained that a team member had hastily altered slides just before the event.

"We take full responsibility for the confusion and misrepresentation it caused for attendees, including our African partners," the State Department said in its statement. The department emphasized that discussions at the conference were "substantive and constructive" despite the map error and reaffirmed its commitment to combating AIDS.

The presentation was part of discussions surrounding the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR, launched under the George Bush administration, has historically provided life-saving antiretroviral treatment to millions worldwide, particularly in Africa. The program faced significant disruption after the Trump administration paused HIV funding for a period, though its core work has since resumed.

However, the US is reportedly scaling back HIV prevention and surveillance efforts. Furthermore, Washington has indicated plans to terminate the program in South Africa, a country grappling with the world's largest HIV burden. The context of these policy shifts adds a layer of sensitivity to the presentation and the subsequent map error.

While the State Department has apologized for the mistake, the incident highlights potential issues with data visualization and presentation preparation within government agencies, especially when dealing with sensitive international health initiatives and partnerships. The involvement of AI tools in map generation also raises questions about accuracy and oversight in such contexts.