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| World Bank postpones $90m Uganda loan over anti-gay law | World Bank postpones $90m Uganda loan over anti-gay law |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The World Bank has postponed a $90m (£54m) loan to Uganda over its tough new anti-gay law that has drawn criticism from around the world. | The World Bank has postponed a $90m (£54m) loan to Uganda over its tough new anti-gay law that has drawn criticism from around the world. |
| World Bank officials said they wanted to guarantee the projects the loan was destined to support were not going to be adversely affected by the new law. | World Bank officials said they wanted to guarantee the projects the loan was destined to support were not going to be adversely affected by the new law. |
| The loan was intended to boost Uganda's health services. | The loan was intended to boost Uganda's health services. |
| The new law, enacted on Monday, strengthens already strict legislation relating to homosexuals in the country. | |
| It allows life imprisonment as the penalty for acts of "aggravated homosexuality" and also criminalises the "promotion" of homosexuality". | It allows life imprisonment as the penalty for acts of "aggravated homosexuality" and also criminalises the "promotion" of homosexuality". |
| Elimination of discrimination | Elimination of discrimination |
| The law has been sharply criticised by the West, with donors such as Denmark and Norway saying they would redirect aid away from the government to aid agencies. | The law has been sharply criticised by the West, with donors such as Denmark and Norway saying they would redirect aid away from the government to aid agencies. |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry has called the law "atrocious". Both he and South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu compared it to anti-Semitic laws in Nazi Germany or apartheid South Africa. | US Secretary of State John Kerry has called the law "atrocious". Both he and South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu compared it to anti-Semitic laws in Nazi Germany or apartheid South Africa. |
| A spokesman for the World Bank said: "We have postponed the project for further review to ensure that the development objectives would not be adversely affected by the enactment of this new law." | A spokesman for the World Bank said: "We have postponed the project for further review to ensure that the development objectives would not be adversely affected by the enactment of this new law." |
| The loan was supposed to be approved on Thursday to supplement a 2010 loan that focused on maternal health, newborn care and family planning. | The loan was supposed to be approved on Thursday to supplement a 2010 loan that focused on maternal health, newborn care and family planning. |
| The World Bank's action is the largest financial penalty incurred on the Ugandan authorities since the law went into force on Monday. | The World Bank's action is the largest financial penalty incurred on the Ugandan authorities since the law went into force on Monday. |
| In an editorial for the Washington Post, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim warned that legislation restricting sexual rights "can hurt a country's competitiveness by discouraging multinational companies from investing or locating their activities in those nations". | In an editorial for the Washington Post, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim warned that legislation restricting sexual rights "can hurt a country's competitiveness by discouraging multinational companies from investing or locating their activities in those nations". |
| He said the World Bank would discuss how such discrimination "would affect our projects and our gay and lesbian staff members". | He said the World Bank would discuss how such discrimination "would affect our projects and our gay and lesbian staff members". |
| In his view, he adds, fighting "to eliminate all institutionalized discrimination is an urgent task". | In his view, he adds, fighting "to eliminate all institutionalized discrimination is an urgent task". |
| Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed the anti-gay bill earlier this week, despite international criticism. | Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed the anti-gay bill earlier this week, despite international criticism. |
| Ugandan authorities have defended the decision, saying President Museveni wanted "to demonstrate Uganda's independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation". | Ugandan authorities have defended the decision, saying President Museveni wanted "to demonstrate Uganda's independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation". |
| Uganda is a very conservative society, where many people oppose homosexuality. | Uganda is a very conservative society, where many people oppose homosexuality. |