Museveni downplays removal of Uganda from US trade pact

Summary:

• Uganda’s President Museveni dismissed external pressure as futile, emphasizing the need to focus on internal issues, following the country’s expulsion from a major US-Africa trade program due to its controversial anti-homosexuality law.

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Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni dismissed external attempts to exert pressure on his country as futile, more than a week after Uganda was removed from a significant US-Africa trade program. The US had initially threatened sanctions and expulsion from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) trade pact in May, following Uganda’s enactment of a controversial anti-homosexuality law, which includes the death penalty for specific same-sex acts.

In his first public statement since the expulsion, President Museveni addressed the nation on Tuesday, asserting, “For now, those attempting to pressure us are wasting their time. We need not concern ourselves with that.” He emphasized the need to focus on combating internal issues such as corruption, stating, “What we should concentrate on is to fight corruption among ourselves. These are the real problems, not foreign pressure, because that has no meaning.”

President Museveni says that Uganda will trade with international partners that respect the East African country

President Museveni also highlighted that Uganda would engage in trade with international partners that “respect” the country. Last August, Uganda reinforced its stringent anti-homosexuality law, prompting the World Bank to suspend funding to the nation, citing a contradiction with the organization’s values.