US government map of Africa mislabels every country at global conference

A US government map of Africa mislabeled every country during a State Department presentation at a global conference in Brazil, causing a stir among attendees. Screenshots of the erroneous map were widely shared online.

The presentation, given at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro, featured the incorrect map halfway through a discussion on new health agreements. A Reuters analysis revealed an AI watermark on the image, prompting OpenAI to state it was investigating.

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We take full responsibility for the confusion and misrepresentation it caused for attendees, including our African partners.

The State Department acknowledged responsibility for the confusion. A spokesperson explained that a team member had quickly altered the slide deck before the event. The map incorrectly depicted Nigeria as landlocked, relocated Mozambique to the Horn of Africa, and misplaced Ivory Coast on the opposite side of the continent.

Despite the cartographic error, the State Department affirmed its commitment to fighting AIDS, noting that discussions at the conference were substantive and constructive. The incident occurred as the US continues its work through initiatives like the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has largely resumed core functions after a funding pause.

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Whoever created and approved this slide did not know where countries in Africa are and did not care to check their work.