Press Releases
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Exxon purchase of Liberia’s corruption-tainted Block 13 likely enriched former Liberian officials The Liberian Government should investigate Exxon’s US$120 million oil deal and ensure the independence of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.29 March 2018
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New Democratic Republic of Congo mining law could leave the door open to corrupt deals Potential ad hoc application of the new mining law in Democratic Republic of Congo, plus weaknesses in its transparency and conflict of interest measures, may leave the country’s mining sector open to corrupt deals that could cost the country billions of dollars.12 March 2018
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South Sudan’s leadership uses state-owned oil company Nilepet to funnel millions into brutal security services and ethnic militias South Sudan’s state-owned oil company, the Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet), has fallen under the direct control of President Salva Kiir and his inner circle, and is being used to funnel millions in oil revenues to the country’s brutal security services and ethnic militias06 March 2018
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Convicted arms and conflict timber trafficker Guus Kouwenhoven arrested for role in Liberia’s civil war We welcome news that Guus Kouwenhoven, notorious Dutch trafficker of arms and conflict timber, has been arrested for his actions in fuelling and profiting from Liberia's civil war08 December 2017
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Donald Trump made millions from selling his name to a Panama development used to launder drug money – Global Witness investigation Our investigation, "Narco-a-Lago: Money Laundering at the Trump Ocean Club, Panama" provides powerful evidence that profits from Colombian cartels’ narcotics trafficking were laundered through the Trump Ocean Club.17 November 2017
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Dutch court makes legal history by sentencing timber baron Guus Kouwenhoven to 19 years for war crimes and arms smuggling during Liberian civil war The conviction of Guus Kouwenhoven by the Dutch Appeal Court for war crimes and arms smuggling during the height of Liberia’s brutal civil war is an historic victory for the Liberian people, said Global Witness today21 April 2017
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Congo signs over potential $880m of royalties in Glencore project to offshore company belonging to friend of Congolese President Dan Gertler’s business confirms deal but challenges valuation as Global Witness goes to press.15 November 2016
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Key individuals named in Global Witness report on illegal gold trade in eastern Congo detained following national mining fraud commission investigation Positive steps taken by Congo’s national Mines Ministry and the national commission against mining sector fraud, but concerns about threats and intimidation of local civil society and journalists who support reform of South Kivu’s minerals sector19 October 2016
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As activist receives global award for fighting deforestation Global Witness calls for urgent halt to rainforest destruction across Papua New Guinea Activist Paul Pavol has won the ASF Award 2016 for his tireless fight against the destruction of his rainforest in PNG29 September 2016
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Hedge fund to pay $413m for bribery case in major step forward in corruption fight – Global Witness response The fight to hold corporate actors to account for overseas corruption has been given a significant boost after the New York hedge fund Och-Ziff was ordered to pay $413m by the United States Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)29 September 2016
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Afghanistan’s famous lapis mines funding the Taliban and armed groups, new investigation shows Lapis mines driving corruption, conflict and extremism06 June 2016