The U.S. Department of State has issued more sanctions affecting Samuel Tweah, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, and Senators Albert Chie and Emmanuel Nuquay, for their alleged involvement in corruption.
The sanctions are being imposed under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2023, highlighting the U.S. commitment to combating corruption on a global scale.
Over the weekend, Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Koijee, was designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818. The order targets individuals engaged in serious human rights abuses and corruption. Koijee, in addition to human rights abuses, has been accused of corrupt acts such as bribery and misappropriation of state assets. He is alleged to have pressured anti-corruption investigators to cease all corruption investigations.
The sanctions underscore the United States’ commitment to holding accountable those involved in corrupt practices and human rights abuses globally. The actions were announced on the occasion of the opening of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption, emphasizing the international effort to combat corruption.
As part of the broader initiative, the U.S. Department of State is designating over 30 individuals under Section 7031(c), while the Department of the Treasury is designating two individuals and 44 entities pursuant to E.O. 13818. The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, upon which E.O. 13818 is built, enables the U.S. to target individuals and entities involved in corruption and human rights abuses.
Section 7031(c) mandates that foreign government officials with credible information linking them to significant corruption or gross violations of human rights are generally ineligible for entry into the United States. The officials must be publicly or privately designated under the provision.
