In a move that has sent shockwaves through LGBTQ+ advocacy circles, the European Union (EU) has made a surprising announcement: it will continue to provide financial support to Uganda, despite the controversial enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
In an official statement released to the European Parliament, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, explained that suspending financial aid to Uganda due to the law’s punitive measures against same-sex activities could have dire consequences for vulnerable communities.
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“At this juncture, the EU believes that halting financial support to Uganda would jeopardize critical assistance to the most vulnerable populations, including LGBTQI individuals.
Furthermore, EU disengagement could potentially create gaps that might be filled by other actors who do not share EU values,” the statement emphasized.
Ms. Urpilainen added, “As a result, the EU remains committed to actively engaging with Ugandan authorities and civil society through its development cooperation and broader partnership efforts to ensure equitable treatment for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.”
Ms. Urpilainen also noted that top EU officials had already expressed deep concerns about the Anti-Homosexuality Act and had raised these concerns with the Ugandan government, Parliament, and President.
The EU’s position, as confirmed by its representatives in Kampala, is likely to come as a relief to Ugandan authorities. Uganda’s Western allies have been critical of the government since the law’s passage.
United States President Joe Biden condemned the law as a serious violation of universal human rights, and his administration, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, even threatened sanctions, including visa restrictions on Ugandan officials.
In fact, the U.S. has already imposed visa restrictions on some Ugandan officials. The World Bank, in one of the strongest responses, announced last month that it would freeze all new public financing to Uganda.
President Museveni and other government officials have openly defied the pressure from the country’s Western allies. In response to the World Bank’s decision, for instance, President Museveni stated that Uganda would reduce its borrowing but would not yield to external pressure.
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