U.S. State Department Sanctions Senior Congolese Officials for Involvement in Electoral Process Corruption
June 21, 2018 (Washington, DC) – Today, the U.S. State Department announced visa bans on several senior officials of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for involvement in significant corruption related to the Congolese electoral process. The actions fall under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2018.
Sasha Lezhnev, Deputy Director of Policy at the Enough Project, said: “Several senior Congolese officials involved in corruption travel frequently to the US, so the visa ban is an important step. They or the businesses they partner with also use US banks to process corrupt commercial deals, so the US and EU should enact stronger sanctions on their corporate networks to target their assets. Now is a critical time to take such measures, to help dissuade Kabila from putting his name on the ballot and help ensure a credible election.”
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The Enough Project supports peace and an end to mass atrocities in Africa’s deadliest conflict zones. Together with its investigative initiative The Sentry, Enough counters armed groups, violent kleptocratic regimes, and their commercial partners that are sustained and enriched by corruption, criminal activity, and the trafficking of natural resources. By helping to create consequences for the major perpetrators and facilitators of atrocities and corruption, Enough seeks to build leverage in support of peace and good governance. Enough conducts research in conflict zones, engages governments and the private sector on potential policy solutions, and mobilizes public campaigns focused on peace, human rights, and breaking the links between war and illicit profit. Learn more – and join us – at www.EnoughProject.org.