DRC applauds U.S. efforts to protect humanitarian aid from impact of sanctions

DRC applauds the rapid efforts of the United States to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2664 domestically and establish broad humanitarian exemptions from U.S. sanctions. This week’s announcement by the Department of the Treasury to issue new and amend existing humanitarian general licenses across global sanctions programs will significantly expand the scope of formal protections for NGOs and help ease the delivery of life-saving aid and basic services to affected communities. We encourage all UN member states to implement Resolution 2664 in a similar manner. 

With the establishment of a “standardized baseline” of protections from sanctions for NGOs, the U.S. Government continues to demonstrate its commitment to protecting humanitarian actors and prioritizing the needs of vulnerable populations around the world. The operational impact of these exemptions will be felt in several countries where DRC currently implements humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding activities, providing clarity and predictability to our colleagues working in high-risk contexts where needs are greatest. 

DRC is also grateful for the clarity these exemptions provide to banks – whose de-risking due to sanctions can prevent necessary funding from reaching where it is most needed – and we encourage the U.S. Government to continue working with the financial sector to ensure these protections are understood and implemented, thereby creating the greatest possible impact for NGOs and affected communities. 

We appreciate the U.S. Government’s leadership on this issue and look forward to ongoing constructive engagement to strike an effective balance between responsible risk management and principled humanitarian action.