Executive Order 13761-Recognizing Positive Actions by the Government of Sudan and Providing for the Revocation of Certain Sudan-Related Sanctions
Issued 2017-01-13 by Barack Obama
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
President Obama issued this executive order in January 2017 to begin lifting certain economic sanctions against Sudan. The order recognized that Sudan's government had taken positive actions over the previous six months, including reducing offensive military activity, pledging to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas, improving humanitarian access throughout the country, and cooperating with the United States on addressing regional conflicts and terrorism. Based on these developments, the order set a path to revoke two earlier executive orders from 1997 and 2006 that had imposed sanctions on Sudan.
The order specified that the revocation of these earlier sanctions would become effective in July 2017, provided certain criteria were met. It also waived specific provisions of several Sudan-related laws passed by Congress, determining that doing so was in the national security interest of the United States. However, the order explicitly stated that it did not affect the underlying national emergency concerning Sudan that was originally declared in 1997.
This action primarily affects U.S. trade and financial restrictions related to Sudan. The order authorized the Treasury and Commerce Departments to issue the necessary regulations and licenses to implement these changes. While the order lifted certain sanctions based on Sudan's improved conduct, it maintained the broader emergency declaration, meaning the President retained authority to reimpose restrictions if circumstances changed.
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Official Summary
Administration of Barack Obama, 2017 Executive Order 13761—Recognizing Positive Actions by the Government of Sudan and Providing for the Revocation of Certain Sudan-Related Sanctions January 13, 2017 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq .), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq .), the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7201–7211) (TSRA), the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act of 2004, as amended (Public Law 108–497) (CPSA), the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–344) (DPAA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, find that the situation that gave rise to the actions taken in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997, and Executive Order 13412 of October 13, 2006, related to the policies and actions of the Government of Sudan has been altered by Sudan's positive actions over the past 6 months. These actions include a marked reduction in offensive military activity, culminating in a pledge to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, and steps toward t