WASHINGTON, November 19, 2018 — 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 World Bank’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.
The World Bank believes in empowering all people to participate in, and benefit from, the development process; and that eliminating discrimination, including against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people, is critical to ensuring sustained, balanced and inclusive economic growth in all societies.
