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Sarah Sewall: The Next Step to Fight Corruption Will be Taken at the UN | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the anti-corruption summit held in London recently, US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Sarah Sewall said: “The next step on the path of global efforts to fight corruption will be through the United Nations, and it is a matter that deserves importance given that corruption is a problem faced by the whole world.”

The US State Undersecretary for Civilian Security also announced in her interview with Asharq Al-Awsat that “the United States will contribute $70 million to support civil society and independent press to ensure that there is continuous pressure on all governments that have pledged to fight corruption and money laundering”.

Sewall revealed details of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s initiative to launch a global forum to coordinate anti-corruption efforts. She said that Washington will participate in the “initiative by contributing its deep expertise and methods which will assist states to do a better job in fighting corruption”.

The initiative was announced at the summit which was hosted by Cameron and brought together world leaders, business sectors and civil society organisations for the first time in order to double the international efforts to fight corruption.

Commenting on the human rights record in Iran, Sewall said “there is nothing new regarding this issue, and I do not think that there are expectations that the nuclear deal has the slightest effect on it”. She continued by saying that “We express our views on human rights in Iran as we do with the rest of the countries around the world. However, there is an urgent need to consolidate human rights and freedom of expression in Iranian society.

The extent to which Iran violates human rights standards varies depending on the case, and we were extremely frank in criticising Iran’s human rights record. The United States has been fully consistent in its concerns and fears regarding the violations in Iran”.