Ugandan President Criticizes World Bank’s Loan Halt Over Anti-LGBTQ Bill

Ugandan President Criticizes World Bank’s Loan Halt Over Anti-LGBTQ Bill

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has expressed his disapproval of the World Bank’s decision to suspend loans as a tactic to pressure his government into reconsidering the enactment of the anti-LGBTQ bill.

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Earlier this week, the World Bank announced its decision to halt new loans to the East African nation. The institution stated that Uganda’s legislation constituted one of the most severe laws globally targeting LGBTQ communities.

The international lender, based in the US, noted that Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act was in direct conflict with the institution’s values.

However, Museveni, who signed the bill into law in May, emphasized that “Ugandans will progress with or without loans.”

“It is regrettable that the World Bank and other actors are attempting to compel us to forsake our faith, culture, principles, and sovereignty by wielding financial leverage.”

“We don’t require pressure from any external sources to navigate the solutions to our societal challenges.”

Nevertheless, Museveni acknowledged that Uganda is still engaged in discussions with the World Bank “to explore potential ways to avoid this divergence.”

Meanwhile, the United Nations, foreign governments, including the United States, and global human rights organizations have criticized the new law. This legislation includes provisions that categorize “aggravated homosexuality” as a capital offense and imposes penalties of up to life imprisonment for consensual same-sex relations.