Syria Sanctions Update

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued Syria General License 24, "Authorizing Transactions with Governing Institutions in Syria and Certain Transactions Related to Energy and Personal Remittances."

"This action underscores the United States’ commitment to ensuring that U.S. sanctions do not impede activities to meet basic human needs, including the provision of public services or humanitarian assistance," the department said in a statement.

Additionally, OFAC has also issued eight new Syria Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs 1205 - 1212), and one amended Syria Frequently Asked Question (FAQ 227). 

OFAC Statement

As a result of the Assad regime’s brutality against the Syrian people, support for terrorism, and destabilizing actions across the region, Syria is one of OFAC’s most comprehensively sanctioned jurisdictions.

Given the extraordinary circumstances, and to support the Syrian people as they build a more hopeful, secure, and peaceful future, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, through OFAC, is issuing GL 24 to help ensure that sanctions do not impede essential services and continuity of governance functions across Syria, including the provision of electricity, energy, water, and sanitation.

GL 24 builds on existing authorizations in the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, Global Terrorist Sanctions Regulations, and Foreign Terrorist Organization Sanctions Regulations, including those that support international organization activities, nongovernmental organization (NGO) activities, humanitarian, and stabilization efforts in the region.

This authorization does not unblock the property or interest in property of any blocked person under any of our sanctions programs, including Assad and his associates, the Government of Syria, Central Bank of Syria, or Hay’at Tahrir al Sham (HTS); nor does it authorize any financial transfers to any blocked person other than for the purpose of effecting certain authorized payments to governing institutions or associated service providers in Syria. 

U.S. implementing partners and humanitarian organizations can continue to refer to the Syria Compliance Communique, which outlines OFAC’s guidance for the provision of humanitarian assistance to Syria, and general license 31 CFR § 542.533, which authorizes certain commercial activities in certain areas of Northeast and Northwest Syria.U.S. persons may continue to send non-commercial, personal remittances to friends or family in Syria. Additional guidance is provided in OFAC’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).