The State Department is exempting purchases or maintenance of the Digital Electro Optical Sensor OSDCAM4060 from a ban on U.S. government procurement from Russian company Rosoboronexport, State said (here). State in September 2015 banned sales to a range of individuals and organizations, in accordance with the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act (see 1605190041). The ban covers an organization’s successors, subunits and subsidiaries, and includes all items on the U.S. Munitions List, Export Administration Regulations, and any defense or defense-related item.
Secretary of State John Kerry and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry are set to sign a memorandum of understanding on cultural property protection at on Nov. 30 at the State Department, State said (here). The U.S. will restrict imports of archaeological material “representing Egypt’s cultural heritage” dating from 5200 B.C. to A.D. 1517, in order to reduce incentives for pillage and trafficking. State Department officials negotiated the agreement under the U.S. law implementing the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, State said. The MOU will become the 16th active U.S. bilateral agreement imposing import restrictions on cultural property, and is the first such accord signed by the U.S. and a nation in the Middle East and North Africa region, State said.
The State Department on Nov. 28 hosted the seventh meeting of the Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking, which comprises representatives from 17 government agencies for a “whole-of-government approach” to fight wildlife trafficking, State said (here). The task force lauded President Barack Obama’s October signing of the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act, which requires the U.S. government to recommend how to address wildlife trafficking threats and instructs annual reporting on the spending of appropriations to combat the illicit practice (see 1610110043).
The State Department added Abdullah Ahmed al-Meshedani (here), Jorge Quispe Palomino (here) and Tarcela Loya Vilchez (here) to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.
The State Department added Abdelilah Himich (here), Basil Hassan (here) and Victor Quispe Palomino (here) to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.
The State Department updated the aliases of the Al-Nusrah Front in its global terrorist (here) and foreign terrorism organization designations (here) of the group, State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.
The State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) on Nov. 8 posted previously presented webinars covering commodity jurisdiction filings in the Defense Export Control and Compliance System (DECCS) and DDTC information technology modernization, as well as frequently asked IT questions, including about DECCS and the Defense Technology Security Administration’s electronic Export License Status Advisor, the agency said (here). All DDTC communication related to its IT modernization effort can now be found on the DDTC IT modernization outreach page (here), the agency said.
Secretary of State John Kerry will lead the State Department’s delegation to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group’s Ministerial Meeting in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 16, State said (here). Kerry will discuss with other delegations APEC’s efforts to boost trade and investment, promote small and medium enterprise participation in the global economy and foster regional food systems, among other things, State said.
State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) Managing Director for Defense Trade Controls Lisa Aguirre accepted a position at the Department of Health and Human Services, DDTC said (here). DDTC Director of the Office of Defense Trade Controls Licensing Tony Dearth on Nov. 7 started working as Acting Managing Director for Defense Trade Controls on an interim basis. DDTC has selected Terry Davis to serve as Acting Director of the Office of Defense Trade Controls Licensing.
The State Department added Abu Ali Tabatabai to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, State said (here). "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.