RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: A map of Africa shown by the U.S. State Department during a presentation at a global conference in Brazil was confusing after it wrongly labeled every country. The mistake occurred at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro and quickly drew attention when audience members shared screenshots online.

A video of the presentation showed the incorrect map appearing midway through a talk about new U.S. health agreements. A later review found that the map image carried a watermark indicating it had been created using artificial intelligence tools. The company linked to the tools said it was looking into the issue.

The State Department accepted responsibility for the error. Officials said a team member had quickly edited the presentation slides before the event, which led to the mistake.

The map contained several major errors. Nigeria was shown as a landlocked country in the Sahara Desert. Mozambique, which is actually in southeastern Africa, was placed in the Horn of Africa. Ivory Coast was also incorrectly positioned on the opposite side of the continent.

Images of the map were first shared in a Substack post by AIDS expert Emily Bass and then spread widely on LinkedIn, where one post received tens of thousands of views. An analyst at the Atlantic Council later wrote that the people who created and approved the slide did not understand African geography and had failed to check their work properly.

The State Department said it took full responsibility for the confusion caused to attendees, including its African partners. Despite the mistake, officials described the discussions at the conference as useful and productive and said the United States remains committed to fighting AIDS.

The presentation was delivered by Jeff Graham, a senior U.S. health official who oversees the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). He did not respond to requests for comment.

Funding decisions by the Trump administration last year temporarily paused some aid programs while they were under review. Although key services such as life-saving medicines have mostly resumed, the United States is reducing spending in other areas, such as prevention and monitoring. It plans to end the program in South Africa gradually.