US expands sanctions relief in Syria to boost humanitarian aid, public services

US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued Syria General Licence (GL) 24, expanding authorizations for activities and transactions in Syria.

Effective from December 8, 2024, this measure is designed to ensure that US sanctions do not hinder efforts to meet essential human needs, including the provision of public services and humanitarian aid, Caliber.Az reports per US Department of the Treasury.

Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo emphasized the importance of this action in light of Syria’s ongoing transition. “The end of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal and repressive rule, backed by Russia and Iran, provides a unique opportunity for Syria and its people to rebuild,” he stated. “During this period of transition, Treasury will continue to support humanitarian assistance and responsible governance in Syria.”

The six-month authorization underscores the US government’s commitment to aiding the Syrian people while maintaining pressure on the Assad regime and other sanctioned entities. Syria remains one of OFAC’s most comprehensively sanctioned jurisdictions due to the Assad regime’s alleged “brutality against the Syrian people, support for terrorism, and destabilizing actions across the region.”

Thus, GL 24 aims to facilitate the continuity of essential governance functions and the provision of critical services, including electricity, energy, water, and sanitation. It builds on existing authorizations under various sanctions regulations, which support international organization activities, nongovernmental organization (NGO) efforts, and humanitarian and stabilization initiatives in the region.

However, the licence does not lift sanctions on individuals or entities such as Bashar al-Assad, the Government of Syria, the Central Bank of Syria, or Hay’at Tahrir al Sham (HTS).

Additionally, it prohibits financial transfers to these blocked persons, except for specific authorized payments linked to governing institutions or associated service providers in Syria.

To recap, Syria has been designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism since December 1979. In May 2004, additional sanctions were introduced through Executive Order 13338, enforcing the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (SAA) and imposing further measures under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Following the Syrian uprisings in March 2011, the US escalated its sanctions to deprive the then Assad regime of resources for violence against civilians and to pressure for a democratic transition. Executive Order 13572, issued in April 2011, froze the assets of Syrian officials involved in human rights abuses.

In May 2011, Executive Order 13573 extended these measures, targeting senior Syrian government officials, including ousted President Bashar al-Assad. Subsequently, Executive Order 13582, issued in August 2011, imposed comprehensive sanctions on the Syrian government. These include asset freezes, bans on US investments in Syria, prohibitions on service exports, and restrictions on the trade of Syrian-origin petroleum.

By Aghakazim Guliyev