The United States has designated some public officials of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as generally ineligible for entry into the United States, due to their involvement in significant corruption.
Matthew Miller, Department of States spokesperson in a press statement gave their names and positions as:
Cosma Wilungula Balongelwa, the former Director General of Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN);
Leonard Muamba Kanda, the former Department Head of the DRC Management Authority for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Director of ICCN; and
Augustin Ngumbi Amuri, the Director-Coordinator of the DRC CITES Management Authority and Legal Advisor to ICCN
It said that as public officials responsible for wildlife protection, they abused their public positions by trafficking chimpanzees, gorillas, okapi, and other protected wildlife from the DRC, primarily to the People’s Republic of China, using falsified permits, in return for bribes.
”Their corrupt, transnational criminal actions not only undermined rule of law and government transparency in the DRC but also long-standing wildlife conservation efforts.
”Today’s action demonstrates the United States stands with those in the DRC who work to disrupt wildlife trafficking and promote accountability for corrupt public officials and transnational criminals.
”These designations also reaffirm the United States’ commitment to combat corruption, which harms the public interest, hampers countries’ economic prosperity, and curtails the ability of governments to respond effectively to the needs of their people.
”These public designations are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2023.”
The U.S. also designated Kanda’s wife, Rose Nsele Ngokali and Wilungula’s wife, Esther Mwanga Wilungula as generally ineligible for entry into the United States. (108scoop.com)
