The Office of Foreign Assets Control added to its Specially Designated Nationals list due for counter-terrorism on Dec. 1, it said (here). It also added individuals and entities linked to the Syrian conflict and North Korea to the SDN List on Dec. 8 (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a six-month general license—“GL 20”—to allow trade-related transactions otherwise barred by Burmese Sanctions Regulations (BSR), the department said Dec. 7 (here). The license opens up the possibility for certain transactions that result from exports to or from Myanmar involving specially designated nationals (SDNs), and SDN-owned entities involved in trade to or from Myanmar. Among the current prohibitions that remain in effect are the import of Burmese-origin jadeite, rubies, and jewelry containing those materials. The license authorizes the transactions until June 7, 2016, and allows U.S. financial institutions to unblock and return transactions blocked on or after April 1, 2015, that would have been granted authorization if the general license had already been authorized. “Today’s general license supports the prior easing of U.S. economic sanctions on Myanmar in response to significant positive reforms in the country, while maintaining targeted sanctions against specific individuals and entities,” it said. OFAC issued the license in response to “unintended interruptions” to Burmese trade because of sanctions concerns with a “key” Rangoon port, said the State Department in news release (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control is asking for comments by Jan. 6 on the effectiveness of its licensing procedures for the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran (here). The comments will assist OFAC as it compiles its biennial report to Congress for the time period Oct. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2014, it said.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control updated its list (here) of medical supplies that are approved for export or reexport to Iran. The list is due for publication in the Federal Register on Dec. 1, but was effective Nov. 2. The items are defined as medical supplies under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. Approved items fall under the following categories: General Medical Equipment and Supplies, Anaesthesiology, Apparel, Cardiology, Dental equipment and supplies, Gynecology & Urology, Inherited Preventative Care, Laboratory, Nephrology, Neurology, Obstetrics and Maternity Care, Ophthalmology and Optometry, Otology and Neurotology, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Radiology, Sterilization, and Surgery.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added to its Specially Designated Nationals list due to Kingpin Act violations on Nov. 24, it said (here). It also added individuals and entities linked to the Syrian conflict to the SDN List on Nov. 25 (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control recently removed several entities and individuals previously sanctioned for counter-terrorism and Cuban embargo reasons from the Specially Designated Nationals list. The agency announced on Nov. 17 (here) the removal of Nasir Al-Wahisi, a Yemeni national, from the SDN list. A subsequent notice on Nov. 19 (here) said OFAC is removing individuals and entities from Colombia, Honduras, Italy, Spain, Panama, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two individuals and companies allegedly linked to Los Urabenos, a well-known Colombian drug trafficking and criminal organization, the agency said in a release (here). OFAC added the group to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals list in 2013 (see 13060308). The following Colombian individuals and companies are now listed on the SDN List:

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added the following individuals and entities to the Specially Designated Nationals list on Nov. 5 (here):

The Office of Foreign Assets Control listed senior Taliban leader, Torek Agha, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on Oct. 20 (here). OFAC also added Agha to the Specially Designated Nationals list (here). Agha is Pakistani and operates largely in Afghanistan, the agency said. The designation included prohibitions against knowingly providing, attempting or conspiring to provide material support or resources or engaging in transactions with this entity. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the entity in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens

The Treasury Department declined to name any significant U.S. trade partner a currency manipulator in its semi-annual report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies. The report focuses on economic, financial and exchange rate developments and trends through the end of September, Treasury said in a statement (here). Chinese changes to the renminbi (RMB) exchange rate in August sparked an outcry on Capitol Hill as lawmakers said the Chinese action amounts to manipulation (see 1509150055).