Briefing Paper

AIDS in Southern Africa Thoughts About its Possible Origins

“The truth about the origins of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be evasive. While hope is growing that the world might one day conquer this deadly virus, as evidence points to a declining trend in new infections, the question that still eludes researchers is where this virus originated, and how it was introduced to the human species. For Africa, which is very
much affected by the virus and the associated acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), indications are that it initially occurred in Central Africa, with green monkeys being blamed as the source. While Africa can live with this claim, the second question which emerges is: if AIDS
initially occurred in Central Africa, how did it subsequently spread to other parts of the continent and end up being so much embedded in Southern Africa? This brief attempts to provide some clues that call for another look at South Africa’s biological warfare as a potential mode through which HIV and Aids could have been distributed in the region.”