Embassies around the world are finding themselves persona non grata at some US banks; Angola and 15 others are out of Africa. According to an article distributed by the US-Angola Chamber of Commerce, the US State Department confirmed that it is engaged in an intensive effort to assist over three dozen embassies in Washington who are all facing the possible closure of their US bank accounts due to a growing movement by several major banks to drop embassies from their rolls.
The embassy of Angola in Washington was the first foreign embassy to have all of its US bank accounts closed against its will. Bank of America closed all five of its accounts on November 9, after warning the Angolans of the decision through an unsigned letter only one week prior with no explanation whatsoever.
While the State Department is working to resolve the issue, the government has no control over banking policies. The Angolan government is considering taking action against US diplomats and businesses in Angola in retribution if the State Department is unable to solve the problem. Many of the business affected if the problem is not solved could be oil and gas businesses.
State Department officials declined to identify the names of the other foreign embassies affected or the names of other US banks moving to drop embassy business.
The State Department will host a briefing by banking regulators for the heads of embassies and missions affected. A spokesman said the department is fully engaged in the issue, seeking a solution to what it sees as a problem that could have implications for US diplomacy and security.
The hubris behind the closing of accounts could likely be attributed to renewed emphasis from lawmakers and regulators to enforce money-laundering regulation. These regulations have raised costs for banks, which historically have enjoyed the prestige of dealing with foreign countries and dignitaries.
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