The United Kingdom has slapped sanctions on Sudanese businessman Ashraf Seed Ahmed Hussein Ali, also known as Al Cardinal, for participating in dubious deals and siphoning monies from South Sudan.
Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, on Monday announced the UK’s first sanctions under the new Global Anti-Corruption regime targeting 22 individuals involved in notorious corruption cases in Russia, South Africa, and South Sudan, and throughout Latin America.
Foreign Secretary Raab vowed to stop corrupt individuals using the UK as a haven for dirty money and said the new sanctions regime stops those involved in serious corruption from entering and channeling money through the UK.
“The UK’s first wave of sanctions under this new sanctions regime is targeting: Sudanese businessman Ashraf Seed Ahmed Hussein Ali, widely known as Al Cardinal, for his involvement in the misappropriation of significant amounts of state assets in one of the poorest countries in the world. This diversion of resources in collusion with South Sudanese elites has contributed to ongoing instability and conflict,” the press release read in part.
“Corruption has a corrosive effect as it slows development, drains the wealth of poorer nations, and keeps their people trapped in poverty. It poisons the well of democracy,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said. “The individuals we have sanctioned today have been involved in some of the most notorious corruption cases around the world.”
He added, “Global Britain is standing up for democracy, good governance, and the rule of law. We are saying to those involved in serious corruption: we will not tolerate you or your dirty money in our country. The measures are deliberately targeted, so the UK can impose sanctions on corrupt individuals and their enablers, rather than entire nations.”
Raab said the sanctions are being taken partly in tandem with the US, which is also announcing further corruption sanctions, “Acting together sends the clearest possible signal that corruption comes with a heavy price.”
The UK has, for the first time, imposed asset freezes and travel bans against 22 individuals under the new Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime which gives the UK unprecedented power to stop corrupt actors profiting from the UK economy.
“Corruption hurts individuals and undermines global trade, development, and the rule of law. Over 2% of global GDP is lost to corruption every year, and corruption increases the cost of doing business for individual companies by as much as 10%. Corruption also threatens our national security by exacerbating conflict and facilitating serious and organized crime, creating space for terrorist and criminal groups like Daesh and Boko Haram to operate,” the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office statement said.
Not a stranger to sanctions, the United States imposed economic sanctions on tycoon Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal in October last year.
Al Cardinal has also been fingered for corrupt practices by The Sentry, an investigative and policy team that follows dirty money connected to African war criminals and transnational war profiteers.