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United States granted nearly $250m in development assistance to Uganda
Hilary Clinton
World AIDS Day: Clinton warns Uganda over Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Yesterday (30 November), the eve of World AIDS Day, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave the strongest signal so far that the administration would not tolerate the criminalisation of homosexuality in countries that receive its funding to combat HIV/AIDS, and she seemed to warn Uganda in particular, a recent recipient of American aid.
In an allusion to Uganda's pending Anti-Homosexuality Bill, she said: "Obviously, our efforts are hampered whenever discrimination or marginalization of certain populations results in less effective outreach and treatment. So we will work not only to ensure access for all who need it but also to combat discrimination more broadly.
"We have to stand against any efforts to marginalize and criminalize and penalize members of the LGBT community worldwide."
If passed, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would make life imprisonment the minimum punishment for some homosexual acts, with the death penalty imposed for so-called "aggravated homosexuality" offences, when the accused is HIV positive, a serial offender, a "person of authority", or has sex with those under 18.
Mark Bromley, chair of the Council for Global Equality, welcomed Clinton's statement.
"The United States must make it absolutely clear to Uganda that the passage of the bill, which includes a death penalty provision and criminalizes those who fail to report suspected homosexuals to the authorities, would substantially impact our bilateral relationship and our health investments in that country," he said.
Last month the United States granted nearly $250m in development assistance to Uganda, mainly to promote health, agriculture and business initiatives, after a meeting between assistant secretary of state for African affairs Johnnie Carson and Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni.
