UGANDA: Sweden's Finance Minister Anders Borg warns Uganda that a new anti-gay bill could force donors to reconsider their aid to the east African economy

Record ID: 278051

  • Title: UGANDA: Sweden's Finance Minister Anders Borg warns Uganda that a new anti-gay bill could force donors to reconsider their aid to the east African economy
  • Date: 25th February 2014
  • Summary: KAMPALA, UGANDA (FEBRUARY 25, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SWEDISH FINANCE MINISTER, ANDERS BORG, SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDISH FINANCE MINISTER, ANDERS BORG, SAYING: "We are reviewing our own aid programme with Uganda and obviously this is a factor that has to be taken into account, it is not a positive factor, but a major problem that we will have
  • Embargoed: 12th March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uganda
  • Country: Uganda
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAALVG26054ZSIK8PH6FFEDFYQN
  • Story Text: Sweden's Finance Minister Anders Borg warned Uganda on Tuesday (February 25) that a new bill imposing harsh penalties for homosexuality could represent a financial risk for the east African economy.
    President Yoweri Museveni initialled the bill on Monday (February 24), drawing immediate criticism from Western donors and Washington. Within hours, Norway and Denmark said they were holding back aid. Austria said it would review assistance.
    If the aid cuts become widespread, Uganda, east Africa's third biggest economy, could be forced to cut spending or borrow deeper. When donors suspended aid in 2012 over graft concerns, Uganda revised its growth outlook downwards.
    "We are reviewing our own aid programme with Uganda and obviously this is a factor that has to be taken into account, it is not a positive factor, but a major problem that we will have to deal with," said Borg.
    Borg added that while Sweden was committed to its partnership with Uganda, the new bill would prove "problematic" in the long-term.
    "But there are also in the Swedish aid to Uganda very important areas supporting the civil society, improving health care and research and development that are important. So we see this as a Swedish long-term commitment to a partnership with Uganda, but this is a political issue that is quite problematic in the medium and short term I must say."
    Borg, who is on a planned visit to Uganda, met with gay activists in Kampala on Monday evening ahead of meetings with his counterpart and the Ugandan prime minister.
    "The recent events here in Uganda to some extent is overshadowing of this more optimistic African view. Yesterday the anti-homosexuality act was signed, from a Swedish human rights perspective this is unacceptable legislation that we see as a major problem, there is clear risk that harassment of this community will increase," added Borg.
    Homosexuality is taboo in almost all African countries and illegal in 37 - including Uganda, where rights groups say gay people have long risked jail. Fear of violence, imprisonment and loss of jobs means few gays in Africa come out.
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