The United States has honoured eight individuals for demonstrating leadership, courage, and impact in preventing, exposing, and combating corruption.
In a statement released from the office of the State Department Spokesman on Friday in commemoration of the International Anti-corruption Day, 9th of December.
The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken announced the third cohort of Anti-Corruption Champions at a ceremony hosted by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs today.
The honorees are Antonio Cervantes García of Mexico, Jean de Dieu Rakotondramihamina Madagascar, Stevan Dojcinovic of Serbia, Cynthia Gabriel of Malaysia, Rozina Islam of Bangladesh, Marco Antonio Rueda Soto of Colombia, Qismah Salih Ali Mendeli of Iraq, and Janet Zhou of Zimbabwe.
Prior to the ceremony, the honorees visited St. Petersburg, Florida and Washington, D.C as part of two-week International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) to engage with American counterparts committed to countering corruption.
Corruption erodes public trust in government and democratic institutions, deepens poverty and inequity, and stifles opportunity and growth. It can affect people in virtually every aspect of their daily lives.
That is why President Joe Biden designated fight against corruption as a core national security interest, and why the United States partnered with Transparency International to co-host the International Anti- Corruption Conference this week.
The Department of State countered corruption through country-to- country diplomacy, developing strong international standards and supporting their implementation, building and strengthening government institutions and international networks.
“Using visa restrictions and sanctions to hold corrupt officials accountable, and supporting journalists and non-government actors who promote transparency and advocate for accountability for corrupt individuals.
“We are proud of our record, but we recognize that in our interconnected global system, no country can fight corruption alone. We are honored to work alongside champions like these to defeat corruption.
As the world commemorates International Anti-Corruption Day, the United States renews commitment to stand by citizens everywhere calling for transparency, rule of law, and justice.
In another statement of the Anti-corruption Day celebration, the United States have designated more than 65 individuals and entities connected to corruption and human rights abuses in 17 countries.
While taking dozens of actions to promote accountability in corruption and human rights abuse around the world using a range of accountability tools, including Global Magnitsky sanctions and the Department of State’s Section 7031(c) visa restriction authority.
According to Blinken, “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a stark reminder that corrupt regimes are among the worst perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses. The actions we are taking today reflect U.S. efforts to address these pervasive challenges globally.
“By exposing the practices of these malign actors, these designations disrupt illicit activity and networks, promote accountability, and impose costs for egregious behavior”, the Secretary of State said.
He added that state capture and systemic corruption enable autocrats to retain power, deprive societies of critical resources, and undermine democracy and the rule of law.
“In support of the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption, today’s corruption-related designations take aim at acts that contribute to state capture and democratic backsliding;
“Corruption as a root cause of migration in Central America; misappropriation of state funds and embezzlement in Africa; and the solicitation of bribes in exchange for undue judicial influence by a corrupt judge in Ukraine.
“In support of the Haitian people, we are shining a light on those who have abused public positions for personal gain, contributing to the current crisis”, Blinken said.
