Bankrupting Kleptocracy: Financial Tools to Counter Atrocities in Africa’s Deadliest War Zones

One under-recognized factor is fueling many of the world’s most violent crises—not bitter identity rifts or imperial delusions, but the simple drive to amass lucre. Carnegie hosted for a discussion about how this trait can be exploited to reduce mass atrocities and leverage peace and good governance. We introduced a new report by the Enough Project, Bankrupting Kleptocracy: Financial Tools to Counter Atrocities in Africa’s Deadliest War Zones.

The authors, J.R. Mailey and Jacinth Planer, outline ways to counter violent kleptocracies in East and Central Africa by harnessing the tools of financial pressure at the U.S. government’s disposal to go after what often motivates their strongmen in the first place: the ill-gotten gains. We were joined by former DEA special agent Kirk Meyer, who led the famous Kabul Bank investigation. Carnegie's Sarah Chayes moderated.

Sarah Chayes

Sarah Chayes is a senior associate in the Democracy and Rule of Law Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

J.R. Mailey

J.R. Mailey is a senior policy analyst at the Enough Project.

Kirk Meyer

Kirk Meyer is a bank secrecy act/anti-money laundering officer at Discover Financial Services.

Jacinth Planer

Jacinth Planer is an editor and researcher at the Enough Project.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.