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State Dept. to Wyden: Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Proposal Violates Human Rights Standards

Press Release

By: Ron Wyden
By: Ron Wyden
Date: March 3, 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Foreign Affairs Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

State Dept. to Wyden: Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Proposal Violates Human Rights Standards

In response to appeals to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the State Department said that the anti-homosexuality bill being considered by the Ugandan Parliament is "a serious affront to internationally accepted human rights standards." This finding would impact the African country's eligibility for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a unilateral program that eliminates tariffs on African goods destined for the U.S. Furthermore, in the letter to Wyden the Department of State announced the launching of an inquiry into the practices of all African nations with respect to rights afforded to LGBT populations and the establishment of a task force to respond to LBGT issues worldwide.

"The best trade policy is designed to improve human living standards, and AGOA does this," Wyden said. "The Ugandan attack on their homosexual population is an offense against human liberty and must be opposed at every opportunity. This trade law presents just such an opportunity."

Wyden, who is chair of the Senate Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness, sent a letter to Secretary Clinton and USTR Kirk on January 12, 2010 asking the State Department to review the Ugandan proposal and to communicate with President Yoweri Museveni that passage of the bill will affect Uganda's beneficiary status under AGOA. Wyden has repeatedly discussed this issue directly with Clinton and Kirk. Under AGOA, beneficiaries must meet certain eligibility criteria including not engaging in "gross violations of internationally recognized human rights." Wyden argued to the Department of State that the Uganda proposal violates internationally accepted human rights and the response from the Department of State affirms Wyden's understanding of the AGOA law, indicating that this will be central issue in the annual review of Uganda's AGOA status.

Copies of both the State Department letter and Wyden's original letter are available below and online:

State Department Letter-
http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/state_response02222010.pdf

Wyden's Original Letter-
http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/uganda_ustr_ltr_jan2010.pdf


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