(LifeSiteNews) — The World Bank has cut funding for Uganda in response to the African country’s strict anti-sodomy laws.
In a statement released on August 8, the World Bank Group wrote, “Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group’s values.”
The global financial institution claimed that eradicating poverty is only possible if “it includes everyone irrespective of race, gender, or sexuality.”
“This law undermines those efforts. Inclusion and non-discrimination sit at the heart of our work around the world.”
The World Bank stated that it is currently discussing “measures that are necessary to ensure projects are implemented in alignment with our environmental and social standards” with authorities. The organization also announced that it will withhold new public funding from Uganda “until the efficacy of the additional measures has been tested.”
“Third-party monitoring and grievance redress mechanisms will significantly increase, allowing us to take corrective action as necessary,” the statement reads.
Despite withholding funds from the African nation, the World Bank said it remains “committed to helping all Ugandans – without exception – escape poverty, access vital services, and improve their lives.”
READ: Uganda students protest Biden’s threats to cut aid over new anti-sodomy law
Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Adonia Ayebare, reacted to the World Bank’s decision on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“This is whimsical behavior by @WorldBank towards a member state,” Ayebare wrote. “The values referred to in taking this draconian decision against Uganda are not universal, they are contested. This makes the case for reform of work methods including the board more urgent and pertinent.”
Well-known Ugandan anti-sodomy activist Martin Ssempa opined that the “LGBTQ World Bank Group” shutting out Uganda “could be a blessing in disguise” since it would allow the country to associate more closely with the so-called BRICS nations.
Uganda passed its anti-sodomy law earlier this year, imposing punishments for engaging in homosexual acts.
READ: Ugandan parliament passes ‘Anti-Homosexuality Bill,’ infuriating the pro-LGBT West
As LifeSiteNews previously reported, Ugandan lawmakers have expressed growing concerns over the recruitment of children into the LGBT lifestyle. Groups like Sexual Minorities Uganda, founded in 2004 but banned in 2022, have reportedly targeted minors with cash payments to participate in gay, X-rated films. Propaganda designed to groom youth into supporting (and even engaging in) homosexuality had also been discovered in schools and elsewhere.
When the law was passed in Parliament, President Yoweri Museveni said that the pro-LGBT West should “stop wasting the time of humanity by imposing their social practices on us.”