The president of Uganda claims that Washington is wrong to think that the continent’s nations cannot advance without its assistance.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda downplayed Washington’s decision to expel the African nation from a prominent trade programme on Sunday, stating that Uganda can achieve its economic ambitions without the help of Western countries.
In a message released on X (previously Twitter), Museveni said, “I need to advise you not to be over-concerned by the recent actions by the American government in discouraging their companies from investing in Uganda and on removing Uganda from the AGOA [African Growth and Opportunity Act] list.”
Under the AGOA agreement, which went into effect in 2000, Uganda has been exporting goods, such as textiles and coffee, to the United States for a long time. Under the programme, more than 1,800 products can be imported into the US duty-free for qualifying countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its renewal was not revealed during the most recent summit in South Africa, contrary to expectations, and it is scheduled to expire in September 2025.
Citing “gross violations” of participation rules, US President Joe Biden stated last week that he intended to remove the East African nation from AGOA, along with the Central African Republic (CAR), Gabon, and Niger.
Biden had before threatened to reassess Kampala’s eligibility for the trade initiative while taking into account the effects of an anti-LGBTQ bill that the Ugandan government approved in May.
The Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 has drawn harsh criticism and led to sanctions against the African country. It makes “aggravated homosexuality” a capital offence and imposes life in prison for consensual same-sex relationships.
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August saw the World Bank suspend fresh funding to Uganda, citing the anti-gay law as a breach of its principles of “inclusion and non-discrimination.” The move was prompted by the US State Department’s June imposition of visa restrictions on Ugandan authorities along with a warning that anyone found to have violated any human rights in the African nation, including those of LGBTQ individuals, would suffer the repercussions.
The global financial organisation has been accused of hypocrisy by Ugandan officials, who contend that President Museveni was forced to renounce his nation’s beliefs and sovereignty by the penalties.
Biden’s most recent punishment, which included kicking Uganda out of the AGOA programme in January of the following year, was connected to US pressure on Uganda to do away with its anti-homosexuality laws.
On Sunday, Museveni gave Ugandans advice to disregard Washington’s decision, highlighting his government’s preference to collaborate with foreign partners who show respect for Uganda.
“Some of these Western actors place too much emphasis on their own accomplishments while undervaluing the African liberation fighters… He commented on X, “Some of the foreign actors mistakenly believe that African countries cannot move forward without their support.”
