Daily transport near Maun, Bostwana. Photo supplied

Trump welcomes decriminalised homosexuality in AIDS-ridden Botswana

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk expressed his admiration for US President Trump on Wednesday because of Trump's "monumental achievement" of decriminalising homosexuality in Botswana, where the HIV rate is as least 25 percent.

Published: June 13, 2019, 10:38 am

    Washington

    Botswana is experiencing one of the most severe HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world. The national HIV prevalence rate among adults ages 15 to 49 is 24,8 percent, which is the third highest in the world, behind Lesotho and Swaziland.

    The national incidence rate is 1.5 per cent, or more than 15 000 new infections per year. HIV infection rates vary by geographical region: They are highest in cities, lower in towns, and lowest in villages.

    HIV remains particularly prevalent in eastern regions such as Bobirwa and Selebi Phikwe, where the prevalence remains as high as 40 percent.

    These alarming figures are nothing to celebrate. Botswana’s workforce is being depleted as many productive adults develop AIDS and are no longer able to work. According to the US State Department, between 1999 and 2005 Botswana lost approximately 17 percent of its health care workforce due to AIDS. By 2020, it has been projected that the loss in agricultural labour force due to AIDS could be more than 23 percent.

    “Today, Botswana decriminalized homosexuality,” Kirk tweeted. “President Trump’s global push to decriminalize homosexuality is achieving results across the world,” he added. “Will CNN & MSNBC give his administration any credit for this monumental achievement?”

    The Trump administration has been involved in an effort to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide since early this year.

    “As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made to our great Nation, let us also stand in solidarity with the many LGBT people who live in dozens of countries worldwide that punish, imprison, or even execute individuals….” Trump said on Twitter.

    The crusade to decriminalise homosexuality worldwide was started by the controversial Trump-appointed ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, who has been hailed as the “highest ranking openly gay official ever in a Republican administration”.

    Though Trump has enthusiastically signed onto the campaign, he appeared to know nothing about the campaign when he was asked about it shortly after it was announced. “I don’t know which report you’re talking about. We have many reports,” Trump responded when questioned.

    The ruling in favor of decriminalizing homosexuality in Botswana was decided by their High Court, which may have been swayed by the US administration’s crusade.

    Botswana has been suffering from a massive AIDS epidemic for decades, with NPR reporting last month that their HIV rate is currently “at least 25 percent.”

    All rights reserved. You have permission to quote freely from the articles provided that the source (www.freewestmedia.com) is given. Photos may not be used without our consent.

    Consider donating to support our work

    Help us to produce more articles like this. FreeWestMedia is depending on donations from our readers to keep going. With your help, we expose the mainstream fake news agenda.

    Keep ​your language polite​. Readers from many different countries visit and contribute to Free West Media and we must therefore obey the rules in​,​ for example​, ​Germany. Illegal content will be deleted.

    If you have been approved to post comments without preview from FWM, you are responsible for violation​s​ of​ any​ law. This means that FWM may be forced to cooperate with authorities in a possible crime investigation.

    If your comments are subject to preview ​by FWM, please be patient. We continually review comments but depending on the time of day it can take up to several hours before your comment is reviewed.

    We reserve the right to del​ete​ comments that are offensive, contain slander or foul language, or are irrelevant to the discussion.

    No comments.

    By submitting a comment you grant Free West Media a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/web site in attribution. Inappropriate and irrelevant comments will be removed at an admin’s discretion. Your email is used for verification purposes only, it will never be shared.

    Africa

    South Africa’s infrastructure 30 years after the end of Apartheid

    LondonHating South Africa was part of growing up in North London in the 1980s. Pelle Taylor and Patrick Remington from Two Raven Films, recently interviewed South Africans about the decline of the country after Apartheid ended.

    Nigerian President: More weapons for Ukraine end up in Africa

    LagosSome time ago, FWM reported on arms deliveries to Ukraine, which shortly afterwards were resold on the Internet. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has warned that "weapons used in the war in Ukraine are gradually leaking into the region" and called for strengthened border security.

    Namibia sees opportunity to attract German energy refugees

    Windhoek"The former German colony, Namibia wants to help Germany in its energy crisis". This is how an article in the online edition of a German newspaper recently began about Namibia's new "Digital Nomad" visa. The six-month visa is ideal for long-term holidaymakers. And for professionals who have their office on their laptop and can work from anywhere.

    Uneven global population growth reaches 8 billion

    According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), we celebrated the 8 billionth day* on November 15. The planet's population is still increasing dramatically, albeit at a decreasing pace.

    French fuel debacle spills over to Senegal

    DakarThe recent events at the French embassy in Burkina Faso were yet another demonstration against France on the African continent after France was ousted from Mali. All it took was a rumour to attract the sympathy of the population and demonstrators to head to the French Embassy.

    New South African drone to compete with Turkey’s Bayraktar

    PretoriaThe South African defense company Milkor unveiled its Milkor 380 reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It is expected to become a competitor to Turkey's Bayraktar and Anka drones.

    Bucking the trend: Uganda bans work by LGBT group

    KampalaThe Ugandan government has banned the activities of a local non-governmental organization that campaigns for the rights of sexual minorities. According to a senior official, the organization worked illegally in the African country.

    South Africa: 82 suspects arrested after a mass rape

    KrugersdorpDozens of black men ambushed a film crew at an abandoned mine near Johannesburg on Friday. They raped eight models between the ages of 19 and 35. As they fled, the police shot dead two suspects and 82 other people were arrested.

    BRICS expansion on the cards

    More and more emerging countries are considering joining the BRICS group, which is seen as the major emerging countries' counterweight to the US-led West and the G7. Especially in times like these, this is also a clear signal to Washington.

    Poland opens border after South Africa complains about their treatment of blacks

    PretoriaThere is a very diverse crowd on the German-Polish border currently trying to take advantage of the war situation. Do they really all come from Ukraine?

    Go to archive