President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda expressed strong dissent against the recent decision of the World Bank to suspend new funding following the enforcement of a stringent anti-LGBTQ law. The legislation, which introduces severe penalties, including the death penalty, for specific same-sex activities, has prompted the World Bank to pause fresh funding in order to assess ways to counteract discrimination within its financed initiatives.
With an established investment portfolio of $5.2 billion in Uganda, existing projects overseen by the World Bank will remain unaffected. While the anti-LGBTQ law, enacted in May, has sparked widespread criticism from both local and international human rights organizations and Western nations, it has gained popularity within the country.
Museveni, in an official statement, asserted Uganda’s determination to minimize its reliance on external borrowing, standing resolute against foreign pressures that he believes infringe upon the nation’s core values and sovereignty. “It is, therefore, unfortunate that the World Bank and other actors dare to want to coerce us into abandoning our faith, culture, principles and sovereignty, using money. They really underestimate all Africans,” he stated.
Highlighting Uganda’s alternative sources of borrowing and emphasizing the prospective revenue from anticipated oil production by 2025, Museveni conveyed his optimism that the World Bank would reconsider its current stance. This move comes in the wake of the United States imposing visa restrictions on select Ugandan officials in response to the law, coupled with President Joe Biden’s directive for a comprehensive review of U.S. aid to Uganda.
As the global community watches, the intersection of human rights, foreign aid, and domestic policies underscores the ongoing debate over LGBTQ rights and the diplomatic actions they may trigger.