More than 150,000 people in Chad have been helped with lifesaving
UK aid, including emergency food supplies, funded by £4.4m
million recovered in a corruption case by the Serious Fraud
Office (SFO).
The money was recovered from a series of corrupt transactions
involving personnel and companies connected to staff at the
Chadian Embassy in Washington, United States, and was the first
time the UK has agreed to channel money from a civil corruption
case into critical global aid projects.
The funding has gone to support vulnerable people in Chad - which
has one of the highest levels of hunger in the world - with food
rations, cash assistance and medical support.
UK Minister for Africa, said:
“We have ensured money recovered from corrupt deals has gone
into providing life-saving support to more than 150,000
vulnerable people in Chad.
“Working with our partners around the world, the UK will
always stand against corruption.”
The funds have also been used to support Chad’s COVID-19 response
and to provide vital humanitarian assistance to over 150,000
people, including malnourished children, through partners on the
ground such as WFP, ICRC and UNICEF.
In addition, UK aid through CARE International, provided cash
assistance to 1,600 households, allowing them to buy vital
supplies like food and shelter materials, and improved access to
safe water for 10,500 people.
During the pandemic, the funds went towards the deployment of a
UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT) of seven medical experts to
two hospitals in N'Djamena, Chad’s capital city.
While there, they supported the care of critical patients from
COVID-19 and helped to train local medical staff on how to treat
people with the virus, as well as high quality sanitation and
hygiene practices to reduce its spread.
On top of this, further support to local NGOs reached over 1
million people to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including the
distribution of vital protective clothing and medical kits
provided to more than 10,000 people.
When the £4.4 million profits from the illegal share deals
entered the UK’s jurisdiction, the SFO began civil recovery
proceedings and the resulting funds have now been diverted to aid
projects since 2018 to help the most vulnerable people in Chad.
UK Serious Fraud Office said:
“We are both proud and delighted that illicit funds recovered
by the Serious Fraud Office have now been redistributed to the
people of Chad.
“The money we seized has rightly been spent on much-needed
humanitarian aid projects, rather than lining the pockets of
corrupt officials.
“Our dedicated staff are experts in their field, working
tirelessly to recoup the ill-gotten gains of criminals and
deliver justice for victims – wherever they may be.”
--ENDS--
Notes to editors:
· The trial - Saleh v Director of the
SFO – followed a number of previous appeals against the
Property Freezing Order which can be found here.
· More information about the
SFO case against Chad Oil is available here.
· The £4.4m funding is broken
down as follows:
· ICRC received £0.2m for
emergency assistance, including protection activities
· UNICEF received £1.8m for
nutrition support
· WFP received £1.3m for food
assistance
· To tackle Covid-19 -
£350,000 was used to fund the deployment of a UK Emergency
Medical Team and £755,176 went to the UK aid Tackling Deadly
Diseases in Africa programme in Chad.
