President Barack Obama issued an executive order Nov. 22 to sanction individuals contributing to unrest in Burundi, the White House said (here). The order blocks the U.S. property and interests of the sanctioned individuals, along with property and interests that come into the U.S. The order also prohibits other dealings with the sanctioned individuals. "The order is not targeted at the people of Burundi, but rather is aimed at activities by the government and armed groups that contribute to the turmoil there," said the White House (here). The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control added the individuals to the Specially Designated Nationals List (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):
U.S. agencies are increasingly collaborating in developing export regulations, bringing more integration and effectiveness to the administration in that policy field, top-ranking officials from the Commerce, State, Defense and Treasury departments said during a Nov. 3 panel at the Bureau of Industry and Security’s 2015 Update conference. The administration isn’t yet ready to overcome ongoing challenges in its drive to create a single licensing agency for exports, but that effort continues, said Directorate of Defense Trade Controls Deputy Assistant Director Brian Nilsson. BIS officials made a strong pitch for that single agency, which they refer to as Phase III of Export Control Reform, the day before (see 1511020024).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control temporarily lifted sanctions on Oct. 30 on nine Belarusian commercial entities, paving the way for possible imports from and exports to those companies, OFAC said (here). That authorization expires on April 30, 2016, unless otherwise extended. A 2006 executive order blocked all dealings with those entities and others. U.S. persons that engage in authorized transactions with the companies that exceed $10,000 will have to file a report with the State Department, OFAC said in the release.
The State Department is poised to cut sanctions for U.S. persons aiming to export commercial passenger aircraft, as well as spare parts and components to Iran as part of the rollout of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, State said (here). The State notice also spelled out a range of areas where the U.S. is relaxing sanctions for non-U.S. persons. The relief is contingent on State confirmation that Iran has implemented the required changes to its nuclear regime. State will keep in place restrictions on all individuals and entities listed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s Specially Designated Nationals list.
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 Office of Foreign Assets Control dropped ten Colombian individuals from its Specially Designated Nationals list on Oct. 15 (here). OFAC originally placed those individuals on the list over narcotics allegations. The agency has steadily dropped Colombian individuals and entities from the SDN list over recent months, while continuing to add some individuals and entities (see 1506250001 and 1506080019).
U.S. individuals and companies are now barred from dealing with Chinese-based Kaikai Technology after the Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 15 put the company and owner Bo Peng, a Chinese national, on the Specially Designated Nationals list under authorities provided by the Kingpin Act, the agency said (here). OFAC labeled Kaikai a “purported pharmaceutical and chemical products company” that has exported large amounts of synthetic drugs, including stimulants and marijuana. A grand jury in a Florida district court indicted Peng on charges of “importing and conspiring to import ethylone and the Schedule I controlled substance methylone,” said OFAC. The OFAC action freezes all Kaikai and Peng assets in the U.S.