US Welcomes UK Establishment of Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regime - State Department

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th April, 2021) The United States welcomes London's creation of a global anti-corruption sanctions regime, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement on Monday.

"The United States commends the United Kingdom on the establishment of a Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regime, which reinforces the US-UK partnership in the fight against corruption and illicit finance," Blinken said. "Corruption undermines the rule of law, weakens citizens' trust in their governments, hampers economic growth, and facilitates transnational crime and human rights abuses."

Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab presented a set of rules on international anti-corruption sanctions to the UK parliament.

London plans to fight corruption around the world by freezing assets and banning foreigners involved in serious corruption schemes from entering the UK.

Blinken said the United States looks forward to continuing its partnership with like-minded governments and civil society.

In a separate statement, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also welcomed the UK's move, stressing that it gives London an authority similar to the United States' Global Magnitsky program and Canada's Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act.

Yelled added that Washington's sanctions are "more likely to compel changes in behavior and disrupt threatening activities when pursued in concert with our allies."

The United Kingdom on Monday added 14 Russians to its anti-corruption sanctions list, which also contains citizens of other countries, according to the updated document published on the government's website.