KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has said that despite international backlash and financial sanctions over his country’s anti-LGBTQ legislation, Uganda’s economy has continued to grow.
“We passed a law that was discouraging homosexuality,” Museveni said in a public statement on X formerly known as Twitter. “Mr. Biden (USA) removed us from the AGOA list, the World Bank stopped giving us loans, but our economy grew by 6 percent.”
The U.S. removed Uganda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade program in 2023, citing concerns about human rights and governance. The World Bank also suspended new funding to the country shortly after the enactment of Uganda’s controversial anti-homosexuality law, which drew widespread condemnation from rights groups and Western governments.
Museveni, who has led Uganda since 1986, appeared undeterred by the sanctions, suggesting that recent gestures from international partners indicate a shift. “Now they have come back saying we are good people. So we also say they are most welcome!” he said.
The comments come amid ongoing scrutiny of Uganda’s human rights record, particularly its treatment of LGBTQ individuals. The Anti-Homosexuality Act, signed into law in May 2023, includes harsh penalties and has been widely denounced by human rights organizations and foreign governments.
Despite the economic sanctions, Uganda’s government has maintained that its policies reflect local values and sovereignty.
There was no immediate response from the U.S. government or the World Bank regarding Museveni’s remarks.
