OFAC Issues GLs, FAQs for Humanitarian Trade With Yemen
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued four new general licenses and three frequently asked questions to help sustain the flow of humanitarian aid to Yemen, according to a Jan. 19 notice. General License No. 9, No. 10 and No. 11 authorize certain transactions by the U.S. government, certain international organizations and nongovernmental organizations with Ansarallah, which was designated as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this month (see 2101110015). General License No. 12 authorizes certain exports and reexports of agricultural products, medicine, medical devices, replacement parts and components and other humanitarian goods involving Ansarallah.
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FAQs 875, 876 and 877 outline and describe the general licenses. In addition to the general licenses, OFAC said it may issue specific licenses to authorize other transactions with people or entities in Yemen. The agency also said non-U.S. persons may engage in transactions involving Ansarallah “without exposure to sanctions” if those transactions would be authorized under general licenses No. 9, 10, 11 or 12 and if their activities are not considered “significant” under certain terrorism sanctions authorities. Foreign financial institutions also do not risk sanctions exposure to “correspondent and payable-through account sanctions” if those activities would be authorized under the general licenses.
OFAC also clarified that General License No. 12, which authorizes certain transactions involving medical equipment, includes items to combat COVID-19. This includes personal protective equipment, medical gowns, medical eye shields, goggles, surgical gloves, face shields, respirators, masks, oxygen generators, full face mask respirators, diagnostic medical imaging equipment, decontamination equipment and ventilators.