OFAC Issues FAQ for Certain Syria Transactions

The U.S. government and the United Nations, including their contractors, are allowed to conduct transactions related to Syria that involve “stabilization and early recovery-related activities,” the Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a Nov. 8 frequently asked question. OFAC also said the U.S. government and its contractors are authorized by a general license “to engage in all transactions in support of their official business” in Syria. The exemption applies to all government employees, including non-governmental organizations and private companies acting as grantees or contractors. The agency stressed that all U.N. or U.S. grantees or contractors must provide a copy of their contract or grant with either the U.N. or the U.S. “before the U.S. person engages in or facilitates any transaction or activity.”