President Yoweri Museveni has downplayed the recent decision by the United States to remove his country from a significant trade deal. Last week, President Joe Biden announced that Uganda, along with three other nations, would be excluded from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).
The US had previously signaled this action in response to Uganda’s passing of a stringent anti-homosexuality law. In a statement on Sunday, President Museveni encouraged Ugandans not to overly worry about the situation, noting that some Western entities tend to overestimate themselves and underestimate the determination of African freedom fighters.
Agoa, established in 2000, grants eligible sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the US for over 1,800 products. Uganda has been exporting items like coffee and textiles to the United States under this agreement, enjoying exemption from import taxes. However, the US is not a primary export market for Uganda, so the expulsion is unlikely to have a significant economic impact.
Prior to the 20th Agoa forum in South Africa, President Biden disclosed his plans to remove Uganda, Gabon, Niger, and the Central African Republic (CAR) from the program. He cited “gross violations of internationally recognized human rights” by the governments of the CAR and Uganda. The CAR has been closely associated with mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group, accused of civilian killings and other abuses. Niger and Gabon, both under military rule following coups, were deemed ineligible for Agoa due to their lack of progress in establishing political pluralism and the rule of law.
In May, the US had already warned of the possibility of excluding Uganda from Agoa following the passage of its controversial anti-homosexuality law, which imposes the death penalty for certain same-sex acts, drawing global criticism.
President Museveni emphasized in his statement that Uganda possesses the capacity to achieve its growth and transformation goals, even without full support from some international actors. His senior aide and son-in-law, Odrek Rwabwogo, had earlier expressed concerns that Ugandan farmers and small business owners would be adversely affected by the expulsion.
The removal from Agoa is set to take effect at the beginning of the next year. In August, the World Bank suspended new loans to Uganda due to the anti-homosexuality law, and last month, the US State Department issued warnings about the risks of doing business in Uganda. President Museveni has accused the World Bank of using financial pressure to try to influence the government into rescinding the controversial legislation.
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