Joe Biden is in Angola for his first-ever bilateral trip to Africa as US president. The two-day visit comes six weeks before he leaves the White House and it’s relevance has been questioned, with all eyes now on the incoming Donald Trump administration.

The focus of talks will be on the so-called Lobito Corridor - a rail link that carries sought-after minerals to ports and thence to Western markets. The US (along with the EU) has invested hundreds of millions into the project, which is widely seen as the West's way to counter the growing Chinese influence in Africa.

South Africa-based civil society organisation Open Secrets’ investigation has revealed Africa’s corrupt political elites have laundered embezzled public funds through South Africa’s real estate sector while large sections of their populations live in abject poverty.

These leaders and their associates—often family members—acquire luxury properties in affluent parts of South Africa’s Johannesburg and Cape Town.

In their report, Open Secrets presents case studies from three countries: Mozambique's outgoing President Filipe Nyusi, former Democratic Republic of the Congo President Joseph Kabila and Equatorial Guinea's Vice President Teodorín Obiang.  

The @opensecretsZA (X) report also accuses South African authorities and banks of complicity by failing to adhere to regulatory checks and balances.

Here’s a closer look at the findings.

Continued........Sources:

https://www.opensecrets.org.za/property-laundromat/

https://www.theafricareport.com/127303/mozambique-nyusis-alleged-involvement-in-hidden-debt-scandal/

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/southern-africa/mozambique-president-sued-in-uk-over-2-billion-debt-scandal-3599702

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59343922

https://thesentry.org/reports/bank-scandal-in-congo/
https://redress.org/news/how-to-return-teodorin-obiangs-ill-gotten-assets-to-their-rightful-recipients-the-people-of-equatorial-guinea/

https://star.worldbank.org/asset-recovery-watch-database/teodoro-nguema-obiang-mangue-11-luxury-cars-seized-geneva-switzerland

In 2023, there were loud demands from the West for South Africa to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin and hand him to the International Criminal Court (ICC), should he step foot in the country to attend that year’s BRICS summit. The ICC was - and is - after the Russian leader for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Many in the West - including US politicians - argued that Pretoria had a moral and legal obligation to enforce the ICC warrant against Putin.

One year down the line, and key figures in the West are making very different noises when it comes to enforcing the latest ICC arrest warrants - for Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his ex-defence minister Yoav Gallant. The pair are wanted in connection with alleged genocidal atrocities during Tel Aviv’s 14-month military assault on Gaza.

On 2 December, ICC president Tomoko Akane revealed that the Hague-based court had become the subject of threats, coercive measures and acts of sabotage in recent months.

Continued……She did not directly name who’d made the threats but said they are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Only two members of the Security Council have recently butted heads with the ICC: Russia and the United States. Washington has made it loud and clear that it disapproves of the latest warrants.

Sources:

https://www.palestinechronicle.com/hague-invasion-act-us-senator-threatens-icc-with-military-force/
https://www.justiceinfo.net/en/137454-pressure-mounts-icc.html

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/international-criminal-court-chief-lashes-out-at-u-s-and-russia-over-threats-and-accusations

https://www.dw.com/en/icc-chief-criticizes-us-and-russia-over-threats/a-70939061
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-passes-republican-bill-sanction-international-criminal-court-over-2024-06-04/
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/sep/02/us-sanctions-international-criminal-court-fatou-bensouda