Sweden freezes development aid to Uganda over anti-gay law

Source: Agence France-Presse

By Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, March 5, 2014 11:04 EST

Sweden said Wednesday it would stop development aid payments to Uganda “because of the anti-gay legislation” passed in late February.

“The government reaffirms its strong condemnation of the Ugandan legislation that violates the fundamental rights of homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people,” Minister for International Development Cooperation Hillevi Engstroem said.

“Swedish aid is not unconditional. That’s why the government has decided to withhold state-to-state payments,” she added without specifying the amount involved.

On February 24, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed into law a series of bills banning the promotion of homosexuality and making it mandatory to report gays, in a country where they can face life-time imprisonment.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/05/sweden-freezes-development-aid-to-uganda-over-anti-gay-law/