The United Nations Security Council extended the mandate for the Panel of Experts on Somalia until Dec. 15, 2021, and renewed the “partial lifting” of the arms embargo on the country's security forces, the UNSC said Nov. 12. The arms embargo exempts deliveries of arms, technical advice, financial assistance or training intended for Somali security forces, and prohibits the resale or making available to outside entities of weapons and military equipment “supplied to the Somali National Security Forces or Somali security sector institutions.” The UNSC also condemned exports of charcoal from Somalia, which are banned, as “illicit flows that may finance terrorist activities.” It also cautioned against transactions that might involve “direct or indirect sale or transfer of items that could be used in manufacturing ... [improvised explosive] devices” used in the escalating number of attacks undertaken by Al‑Shabaab, the East African terrorist fundamentalist group.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued a financial sanctions guidance for charities on Nov. 13. The agency stressed that charitable organizations are responsible for complying with sanctions, applying for licenses and reporting “suspected breaches of financial sanctions to OFSI at the earliest opportunity.”
The European Union removed Neda Industrial Group from its Iranian sanctions regime, it said Nov. 13. The company had supplied electricity to Iran, but the European General Court found the company’s “provision of services” to an Iranian uranium enrichment plant “was not sufficient to support its designation,” a Nov. 13 EU Sanctions blog post said.
The U.S. extended by one year national emergencies authorizing sanctions against Iran and Burundi, the White House said Nov. 12. U.S. relations with Iran “have not yet normalized,” so the national emergency will continue in effect through Nov. 14, 2021, it said. Although Burundi has shown progress toward a “peaceful transfer of power,” the U.S. has “not seen sufficient evidence that the situation is resolved,” the White House said, continuing the national emergency through Nov. 22, 2021.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended 16 entries under its Venezuela sanctions regime, a Nov. 13 notice said. The notice updates identifying information for military and government officials under the Nicolas Maduro regime.
Western Union has not been able to find a workaround to new Treasury Department restrictions on Cuba (see 2010280027) and said it will soon not be able to process money transfers to the island, the company told customers Nov. 13. The company said it has “been working around the clock to explore every possible option to keep our services open between the U.S. and Cuba” but “we have not been able to find a solution in this limited timeframe.” The remittance restrictions, announced by Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control earlier this year (see 2009230029 and 2010230024), will take effect Nov. 27.
The European Union sanctions against Venezuela were renewed for one year, until Nov. 14, 2021, a Nov. 12 press release said. The measures include an embargo on arms and equipment “for internal repression,” and a travel ban and asset freezes on 36 people in official positions “who are responsible for human rights violations.”
The State Department designated Arnoldo Aleman, a former president of Nicaragua, due to his involvement in “significant corruption,” it said Nov. 9. The agency also designated several of Aleman’s family members: Maria Fernanda Flores Lanzas de Aleman, Maria Dolores Aleman Cardenal, Maria Alejandra Aleman Cardenal and Carlos Miguel Aleman Cardenal. The State Department said Arnoldo Aleman misappropriated millions of dollars in public funds to benefit himself and his family while he held the office of president from 1997 to 2002. “While this designation is based on acts during his time in office, Aleman’s corruption continues to reverberate in Nicaragua today,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned four people and six companies that helped procure U.S.-origin electronics components and other “sensitive” goods for an Iranian military firm, the agency said Nov. 10. OFAC said the network of people and companies helped ship the items to Iran Communication Industries, which produces military communications systems, electronic warfare items, missile launchers and other goods for Iran.
China’s Foreign Ministry criticized the U.S.’s Nov. 9 decision to sanction four more Hong Kong officials (see 2011090044), saying the U.S. has “blatantly meddled in Hong Kong affairs.” Hong Kong “is part of China and its affairs are entirely China's internal affairs which allow no foreign interference,” a ministry spokesperson said during a Nov. 10 news conference, according to a transcript the ministry released. “China urges the US side to immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs, immediately lift the so-called sanctions and refrain from going further down the wrong path.” The last time the U.S. designated Hong Kong officials, China retaliated by sanctioning U.S. lawmakers and other U.S. citizens (see 2008100023).