(Kampala and New York) One year after the World Bank announced there would be no new financing to Uganda after President Museveni signed a draconian new anti-LGBTQ law, called “among the worst in the world,” Bank President Ajay Banga is preparing to restart lending, despite brutal enforcement of the law, and no evidence that the Bank can comply with their own requirements to ensure people who are part of World Bank-financed programs are protected from discrimination.
LGBTQ+, human rights, and HIV activists will protest this plan to restart financing for Uganda, which they call “disastrous,” on September 26, at 9 AM at Uganda’s Permanent Mission to the UN, at 336 East 45th St.
Protesters will include Ugandans who have been directly impacted by the law. The groups will deliver a large “Blank Check for Hate” from the World Bank to the government of Uganda as a symbol of the World Bank’s disregard for enforcement of its own rules on inclusive economic development. Speakers will include activists from directly impacted communities; LGBTQ+ leaders; and human rights experts.
As of 2022, Uganda’s World Bank loans totaled $5.2 billion. The World Bank’s pause in lending, along with the disqualification of Uganda from eligibility for Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preferences have resulted in substantial economic shocks. The World Bank is the biggest concessional lender financing Uganda’s budget.
“There can be no business as usual between the World Bank and the Government of Uganda while this law remains in force. We are gravely concerned that President Banga is turning his back on us, and breaking his commitments to ensuring non-discrimination,” said Clare Byarugaba of Chapter 4 Uganda and Convening for Equality.
The World Bank recently started testing a package of “mitigation measures” to determine if discrimination is taking place. On September 16, more than 115 groups sent an open letter to President Banga decrying these measures.
“The World Bank’s so-called ‘mitigation measures’ are a façade, designed to provide the illusion of protection,” said Richard Lusimbo of Convening for Equality and the Director General of Uganda’s Key Population Consortium. “They rely on perpetrators of discrimination–the government of Uganda–to implement the measures fairly. How can they be taken seriously?”
New evidence reported in the Wall Street Journal links the Ugandan government officials attacking LGBTQ+ Ugandans with Russian government funders and U.S. Christian extremist groups, particularly Sharon Slater’s Family Watch International, recently designated as a hate group.
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