Author

Samir Safar-Aly

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In recent weeks, there have been a number of noteworthy developments highlighting the increasing focus that US, EU, UK and other governments are placing on the potential circumvention of sanctions against Russia, and the roles of third countries and companies in facilitating the circumvention or undermining of such sanctions measures. These anti-circumvention efforts are taking place in the context of the G7’s concerted effort to bolster sanctions enforcement around the world, through the creation of…

Signing of the “Al-Ula Declaration” ending trade and other restrictions against Qatar As reported in our previous client update, on 5 January 2021, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, along with Egypt, signed the “Al-Ula Declaration” at the 41st GCC Summit held in the city of Al-Ula. This marks the end of a three and a half year boycott against…

In brief On 29 August 2020, the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) Government’s Emirates New Agency (Wakalat Anba’a al Emarat, or ‘WAM’) publicly announced that H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, issued Federal Decree Law No. 4 of 2020, abolishing Federal Decree Law No. 15 of 1972 Concerning the Arab League Boycott of Israel (the “UAE Israeli Boycott Law”) (the “UAE Israeli Boycott Repeal Law”). The UAE Israeli Boycott Repeal Law…

The US Treasury Department and the US State Department have announced two new rounds of sanctions against Syria, including the first designations under the recently-enacted Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act (“Caesar Act”).  The first round, announced on June 17, 2020, resulted in the addition of 39 individuals and entities to the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (“SDN List”) maintained by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) pursuant Caesar…