A report published by the Emirati “Erm News” platform shed light on the financing networks linked to “Hezbollah” in West Africa, in light of the increasing military, political and financial pressures facing the party, indicating ongoing efforts to develop alternative economic and financial channels to ensure the continued flow of funds towards Lebanon.
According to the report, these movements depend on large-scale commercial and financial networks extending across a number of African countries, benefiting from the historical economic ties of the Lebanese communities, as well as the disparity in levels of financial and banking supervision between the countries of the region.
West Africa.. a center for financial networks
The report explained that the West African region is gaining great importance in the activities of financial networks linked to the party, specifically in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. This was based on security studies and reports, including research issued by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) on commercial networks suspected of being linked to party financing.
The report pointed to the wide economic presence of Lebanese businessmen in these countries, especially in Côte d’Ivoire, where they are active in the sectors of distribution, packaging, real estate, and general trade. He added that some networks exploit oversight loopholes to establish front companies, collect donations, and transfer money through unofficial channels to Lebanon, while emphasizing that this activity does not necessarily represent the general activities of Lebanese communities in the region.
From trade to money laundering
The report indicated that the suspected financing mechanisms are not limited to traditional donations and transfers, but rather extend to what is known as “trade-based money laundering,” through dealing in basic commodities, foodstuffs, used cars, and precious metals.
In this context, the US Treasury Department has repeatedly targeted commercial figures and networks in African countries on charges of financing Hezbollah or circumventing sanctions. Some of these networks also exploit political relations and honorary diplomatic status to facilitate the movement of cash and hide its path, taking advantage of the disparity in banking and regulatory systems that hinder tracking these transfers.
US sanctions and targeted individuals
The report reviewed the sanctions package imposed by the US Treasury Department in March 2022, which targeted businessmen Ali Saadeh and Ibrahim Taher for their commercial activity in Guinea. The first was accused of facilitating the party’s financial operations, taking advantage of his relationships with Guinean officials, while the second was accused of exploiting his status as Lebanon’s honorary consul in Côte d’Ivoire to facilitate his movements, transfer cash, and pay bribes to customs officials.
The US sanctions also included commercial networks linked to Adham Tabaja and the “Enmaa Engineering and Contracting” company, along with other figures such as Ali Muhammad Qansouh. Despite the role of these sanctions in tightening the stranglehold on Iranian and Hezbollah financing channels, they did not succeed in completely closing all alternative financial paths.
The report concluded that the diversity of commercial activities between West Africa and the Middle East, and the reliance on intermediary companies and informal transfers, represent an ongoing challenge to international regulatory authorities, stressing that suspected financing networks are still under the American and international microscope amid ongoing attempts to restrict them, in exchange for the party’s continued efforts to preserve its alternative financial sources despite the pressures of continuing sanctions.
