The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 26 sanctioned one current and one former Guatemalan official for corruption. The designations target Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cambara, the former chief of staff for the Alvaro Colom presidential administration, and Felipe Alejos Lorenzana, an elected delegate to Guatemala’s Congress.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control amended its Somalia Sanctions Regulations and reissued them “in their entirety” to provide more guidance, general licenses and statements of licensing policy. The regulations outline new provisions surrounding blocked property, sanctions evasion attempts and new definitions to help industry comply with the sanctions. The new and revised general licenses authorize a range of activities, including certain investments, transactions related to legal payments and certain activities by the U.S. government. The new regulations take effect April 28.
The United Nations Security Council on April 22 renewed the mandate of its committee monitoring nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The committee, which oversees the implementation of U.N. efforts to prevent trade in dangerous weapons to nonstate actors, was extended until Feb. 28, 2022.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation published guidance to individuals, entities and nongovernmental organizations on the recently passed anti-corruption sanctions, the agency said in an April 26 news release. The sanctions, which came into force April 26, cover individuals guilty of “serious corruption,” which includes bribery or misappropriation of property.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation last week published a blog post on its licensing process. The post provides guidance on best practices when submitting a license, which licenses OSFI prioritizes, how the agency’s procedures and licenses have changed under the U.K.’s newly implemented sanctions regimes, and several “top tips” for license applicants.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 23 removed more than 40 entries from its Specially Designated Nationals List. The entries all had Mexican addresses and were sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. Treasury didn’t immediately provide more information on the delistings.
The U.S. has made “some progress” in its discussions to return to the Iran nuclear deal but expects a lengthy process involving multiple rounds of talks with European partners, a State Department Official told reporters this week. After speaking with the United Nations Security Council, the official said, the U.S. and Iran both have a “better idea” of what they need to do to fully rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. But “clarification doesn’t necessarily mean consensus,” the official said April 21. “There still are disagreements” and “the distance that remains to be traveled is greater than the distance that we’ve traveled so far.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 21 sanctioned two Myanmar state-owned entities that are “key economic resources” for the Myanmar military. The designations target Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE) and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE), which are responsible for timber and pearl exports from Myanmar, OFAC said. OFAC also deleted 15 Panama-related entries on its Specially Designated Nationals List. The agency didn’t provide more information on the deletions.
The European Council announced the alignment of a group of European countries with the European Union's restrictive measures against Myanmar officials and entities for their role in the nation's Feb. 1 coup. In an April 19 news release, the council said North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Ukraine and Moldova will now subject the listed groups to an asset freeze and travel ban.
The European Union expanded sanctions on Myanmar to include an additional 10 individuals and two military-controlled companies. The European Council added Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Co. Ltd. and Myanmar Economic Corp. Ltd. for their role in the Feb. 1 coup and subsequent repression “undermining democracy and the rule of law” in Myanmar, an April 19 news release said. The listed individuals, as published in the council decision, are Mahn Nyein Muang, Thein Nynt, Khin Maung Swe, Aye Nu Sein, Jeng Phang Naw Htaung, Maung Ha, Sai Long Hseng, Saw Daniel, Banyar Aung Moe and U Chit Naing. Sanctions are now placed on 35 individuals and two companies with all listed parties subject to an asset freeze and a travel ban.