U.S. legislators to World Bank: Halt loans to Uganda until anti-gay law is repealed
World Bank response so far: ‘a tepid statement, no concrete action’
A group of U.S. lawmakers this week called on the World Bank to oppose Uganda’s new Anti-Homosexuality Law by refusing to loan any money to Uganda while the law remains in effect.
The 11 legislators, led by U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio and a member of the House Financial Services Committee, made that appeal in a letter to World Bank President Ajay Banga.
Beatty wrote on X (Twitter) that “Protecting the human rights and civil liberties of LGBTQ+ plus citizens is something I care deeply about and act on as a concerned Member of Congress. That is why I wrote a letter today to the @worldbank, urging them to immediately cease current & future lending to Uganda in light of their recent Anti-Homosexuality Act. My commitment to the LGBTQ+ community is steadfast and enduring, and I will continue to raise my voice to end this & other forms of targeted discrimination.”
The appeal to the World Bank mirrors an appeal in June by LGBTQ activists in Uganda and international human rights organizations. (See the article “Appeal to World Bank: Cut funding to Uganda until it withdraws new anti-gay law”, Erasing 76 Crimes, June 12, 2023.)
Ugandan human rights defender Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera said, “The World Bank should be a source of dignity, not danger. Queer people are going into hiding and fleeing Uganda to avoid the threat posed by the Ugandan government, much of which is financed by the World Bank.”
In response to the June appeal, the World Bank’s “only public response has been a tepid statement, with no concrete action,” the Bank Information Center (BIC) reported.
The only action that the U.S. has taken in response to the Anti-Homosexuality Law was to limit visas for an unknown number of unnamed Ugandan officials, reportedly including Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament who championed the bill.
The Bank Information Center stated:
On July 25, 2023, Members of Congress, led by Rep. Joyce Beatty, sent a letter to World Bank President Ajay Banga calling for the Bank to suspend all lending to Uganda until Uganda repeals the recently passed Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA). The AHA expanded existing criminal penalties for homosexual acts and created new penalties for those providing social support to LGBTQI+ people.
The law goes directly against the principles and requirements of the Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) by prohibiting LGBTQI+ people from sharing in the benefits and opportunities of Bank-financed projects. Yet thus far, the World Bank’s only public response has been a tepid statement, with no concrete action.
This new letter from Congress calls on the Bank to take a stronger position against this “egregious and unjust law” in order to enable disadvantaged and marginalized groups the opportunity to benefit from Bank funded projects. The letter argues that greater inclusion of sexual and gender minorities is beneficial for the economy as a whole and advantageous in opening new investment opportunities.
Along with the Members of Congress signing on to the letter, BIC strongly urges the Bank to suspend all forms of financing, current and future, to the Government of Uganda until the law is repealed.
