The journal quoted NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya as saying that NIH grants are “distinguished from foreign aid or assistance” and are thus exempt from the 2025 executive order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This means that research funding can proceed, subject to various review processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the same memo noted that, from 5 December 2026, the Fogarty International Research Centre will not process applications from South Africa or fund the training of South African scientists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This, it said, was because South Africa is an upper-middle-income country part of the G20, and doesn’t qualify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the memo’s downside, the lifting of the ban on research funding will be a relief to many South African researchers who were unceremoniously cut off in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President and Chief Executive Officer of the South African Medical Research Council, Ntobeko Ntusi, said the move was “a major opportunity for South African science”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also adds to the recent positive strides in the US Senate, voting to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act <\/strong><\/a>(AGOA) to 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The original ban on aid came as part of the Trump administration’s wider attack on South Africa for what it said were “egregious actions of the republic”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time, US President Donald Trump took aim at South Africa over its case against US ally, Israel, at the International Court of Justice over alleged acts of genocide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The US was also opposed to South Africa’s close ties to Iran, which Trump said reinvigorated Iran to develop commercial, military and nuclear arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This, he said, was an “aggressive position” towards the United States and its allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The United States cannot support the government of South Africa’s commission of rights violations in its country or its undermining of United States foreign policy, which poses national security threats to our Nation, our allies, our African partners, and our interests,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the initial freeze on foreign aid, the administration later reinstated some life-saving assistance, including parts of the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in June 2026, the US State Department said the United States had decided to initiate a phased drawdown of PEPFAR as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the small reversal, South Africa remains at loggerheads with the United States over local policies and foreign relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Washington has made concerted efforts to turn the screw on South Africa, particularly in trade negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The country received one of the highest “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025, and was among the 60 countries hit with the follow-up Section 301 tariffs in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSmall win<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bozell-Ramaphosa-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n