If you're in any doubt by now as to the depth of FTs true intent towards eroding corruption, when that stands against his political interests, read the letter he sent to Biden to get the sanctions removed against Dan Gertler. FTs anti corruption drive has been absolutely nothing more than a sham, to be discarded at the slightest sign of advantage.
Par Kiki Kienge Selon le New York Times, le chef de l’État Congolais Félix Tshisekedi est devenu l’allié du milliardaire Israélien, Dan Gentler et implique personnellement son autorité pour demander…
kongopress.com
*Fyi, To add, I see where,
Gertler: Biden's silence on Tshisekedi's confidential letter
Félix Tshisekedi's letter to Joe Biden dated May 05, 2022 has just leaked.
This confidential correspondence had never been answered by the head of the White House, 10 months ago.
Could it be a disagreement between Kinshasa and Washington or a polite refusal from the American president, worry senior analysts.
The lifting of the sanctions imposed on Dan Getler is not yet on the agenda at Joe Biden.
Kinshasa, which is desperately trying to heal the image of its partner, still has its work cut out for it.
The newspaper The New York Times which delivered the information indicates that President Félix Tshisekedi intervened directly with President Biden, asking that the Treasury Department cancel the sanctions against Gertler.
In this correspondence, Tshisekedi affirms “to share substantial progress encountered” in his country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, “in the fight against corruption and fraud, scourges which for many years have enslaved” his people.
The Congolese President reminded his American counterpart of the latest developments in the situation in the country, in particular the violence and conflicts that have taken up residence there, but also the state of lawlessness that transcends the relationship between the State and its administered.
Worse, it has turned into “a sad paradise where the abundance and wealth of mineral resources, although elsewhere catalysts of economic development, only marginally benefit its people”.
He emphasizes his concern to put an end to the exploitation and the inequitable consequences suffered by his country, to open the door to investors with much more accommodating ethics and respect for human rights and to significantly improve the daily lives of his fellow citizens who have hitherto been condemned, for a large number of them, to live below the poverty line.
Renegotiation of contracts with Dan Getler
Tshisekedi's letter traces his government's new approach, which has resulted in a strong desire to "put an end to the selling off of resources", to implement mechanisms aimed at protecting the most strategic minerals and to renegotiate certain contracts. mining; sector once maliciously captured and dominated by previous administrations.
Discussions leading to a renegotiation of contracts held by companies affiliated with the person of Dan Gertler (Ventora Group), an Israeli subject under American sanctions (Magnitsky law), as well as a major Chinese capital company.
“It is clear that Mr. Gertler was one of the few, if not the only, economic operator to engage in this innovative process which recently led to the conclusion of an unprecedented amicable agreement that we believe to be optimal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its people,” Tshisekedi detailed to Biden.
The same letter recalls elsewhere the constant commitment shown by the United States of America, which has demonstrated alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the fight against fraud, money laundering and the illicit capture of capital, as well as Corruption.
The United States of America had taken care to bring Dan Gertler, as well as several people and other entities associated with him, under the effects of the Global Magnitsky Act.
“These targeted sanctions have been nothing less than transformative and life-saving for our fight”, underlines Félix Tshisekedi.
They were the catalyst that brought Mr. Gertler and his group to the negotiating table, he says.
The Congolese president tries to reassure his American counterpart on Gertler and his group, saying that the latter have given up all their gold and iron exploitation licenses, their oil drilling permits for Lake Albert and a significant part of their future revenues from copper and cobalt royalties owed by third parties.
The total value of the assets and rights thus granted to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is estimated at around US$2 billion.
No more grievances against Getler, Kinshasa wants sanctions lifted
For Félix Tshisekedi, the DRC has indeed recovered a quantity of assets through peaceful negotiations.
“We now believe, and this, with complete confidence, that the Democratic Republic of the Congo no longer has any grievances against Mr. Gertler and his group”, reassures Tshisekedi to his American counterpart.
A letter which is a plea expressed in favor of the radiation of Dan Gertler and his group, from the Global MagnitskyAct.
Indeed, since the objective sought by the sanctions enshrined in the Global Magnitsky Act has been achieved, in that it has forced Mr. Gertler and his group to comply with good practices in the mining and hydrocarbons sector of the Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tshisekedi believes that they no longer need to be taxed further, for fear of having a negative impact on the economic interests of the DRC.
Five years ago, the United States accused the wealthy Israeli diamond dealer (over $1 billion) of carrying out corrupt mining and oil deals in the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying they were undermining economic growth and " the rule of law" of the DRC.
Despite US accusations that Gertler had, in effect, plundered the country, Tshisekedi intervened directly with President Biden, asking the Treasury Department to rescind the sanction, documents obtained by The New York Times report.
Gertler has long disputed the allegations, saying he never paid bribes and that his investments in Congo generated billions in taxes and thousands of jobs.
The Jewish tycoon previously tried to get the sanctions lifted in 2019, under the Trump administration.
He hired Alan Dershowitz, an ally of the president, as well as Louis J. Freeh, the former director of the FBI, and successfully pressured then-Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to largely repeal sanctions, as reported by The New York Times in 2021.
But Biden's team, days after his inauguration in 2021, decided to reinstate the sanctions.
“The credibility of the United States has been significantly damaged,” he said, “as has the credibility of the Global Magnitsky sanctions program” referring to the Human Rights and Corruption Act under which Gertler was punished, according to documents published by the New York Times under the Freedom of Information Act.
Gertler did not give up
His Washington-based law firm, Arnold & Porter, has submitted a new petition to have the sanctions lifted.
The Times sued the Treasury Department for copies of this correspondence and other emails.
The Congolese president, for his part, warned that the non-lifting of sanctions could have serious consequences for access to the country's natural resources.
“If the sanctions are perceived by foreign investors as a dead end to the liquidation of their entities and the cessation of their activities, this concern will surely lead to the disappearance of foreign direct investment in Congo,” Tshisekedi wrote in his letter to Joe Biden.
In recent weeks, Dan Gertler's lobbying campaign has extended to international human rights groups, which had strongly criticized his activities in Congo, asking them to support his efforts to have the authorities lift sanctions.
mediacongo
Food for thought
Frank
