US sanctions Gbagbo, four others

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Thursday levelled financial sanctions against Laurent Gbagbo, the incumbent president of Cote d'Ivoire, who is widely regarded by the international community as having lost the disputed 28 November presidential run-off poll, as pressure mounts on him to leave office.

A statement from the US State Department received in Accra said Gagabo's wife, Simone and three of his senior advisers and members of his inner circle, Desire Tagro, Pascal Affi N’Guessan, and Alcide Ilahiri Djedje, have also been sanctioned for acting for or on his behalf.

“The sanctions will block all property of the designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction and will prohibit all U.S. persons from engaging in any transactions with U.S. persons,” the statement said.

The international community has said veteran opposition leader Alassane Ouattara won the election, but Gbagbo has refused to step down.

The sub-regional grouping, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has sent a team of heads of state to ask Gbagbo to step down or be forced out, but he has refused to budge.

Various organisations and countries have been applying sanctions against Gbagbo and his top aides.
-0- PANA MA 6Jan2010