World Bank looks for LGBTQ businesses to restart funding for Uganda
Date
9/30/2024 8:14:54 AM
(MENAFN) The World bank is working to restart funding for Uganda after a year-long suspension linked to the country's stringent anti-LGBTQ law. This initiative has sparked backlash from both local and international LGBTQ activists, who have labeled the move “disastrous.”
According to a spokesperson for the World Bank, measures are being developed to ensure equitable benefits for LGBTQ individuals from funded projects. This includes the establishment of an independent monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance with these conditions for both ongoing and new initiatives.
The Ugandan government faced significant international criticism after enacting the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) in May of the previous year. This law has drawn severe condemnation from Western nations, prompting the U.S. government to impose visa restrictions on its sponsors and threaten further actions against those responsible for the legislation. The World Bank responded to the AHA by halting new loans to Uganda, citing the law’s severe penalties—such as the death penalty for certain same-sex acts and up to 20 years in prison for promoting homosexuality—as contrary to its “non-discrimination” principles.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda described the World Bank's decision as “unfortunate” and accused the institution of attempting to undermine the nation’s sovereignty and principles. He asserted that Uganda could “develop with or without loans” and emphasized that Africans should not require external pressure to address their own challenges.
As the World Bank navigates this complex situation, the tension between funding conditions and national sovereignty remains a critical point of contention, raising questions about the intersection of human rights and international financial support in Uganda and beyond.
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