On 19th November 2018, the World Bank (WB) issued a statement about its missions and intended financial support to Tanzania.
The clarifying statement follows the Bank’s previous suspension of its missions to Tanzania due to the intended discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people previously announced by the Government of Tanzania.
In the statement, the WB explains that during a meeting between His Excellency President John Pombe Magufuli and the World Bank’s Vice President for Africa, Hafez Ghanem, the President assured the Bank that Tanzania will not pursue any discriminatory actions related to harassment and/or arrest of individuals, based on their sexual orientation.
As a member country of the World Bank Group, Tanzania endorsed the Bank’s new Environment and Social Framework (effective October 2018), that strengthens the Bank’s commitment to social inclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged people and non-discrimination on the grounds of their age, gender, ethnicity, religion, physical, mental or other disability, social, civic or health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, indigenous heritage and economic status.
Given the assurances by the Tanzanian authorities, and following an internal security assessment, the WB’s management, in consultation with its staff in the country, and other development partners, has decided to lift the suspension on missions to Tanzania, while at the same time carefully monitoring the situation to assess the prevailing circumstances, and take the appropriate actions.
Tanzania currently holds the fourth largest portfolio in the World Bank Africa region with 28 national projects with net commitments of about USD4.2b.
Tanzania also participates in seven regional projects with a total commitment amount of USD550.8m.
