Ilhan Omar Asks for Explanation on US Sanctions Policy Towards Somalia

Ilhan Omar Asks for Explanation on US Sanctions Policy Towards Somalia

WASHINGTON (Somaliguardian) – US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Friday asked for more explanation from the secretaries of the State Department and the Treasury about the sanctions policy towards Somalia, days after Washington said it had imposed visa curbs on Somali officials believed to be undermining elections.

The situation in Somalia has changed dramatically since these orders were issued during the Obama Administration, and the executive orders don’t enumerate any specific conditions under which sanctions can be lifted,” she wrote in a letter addressed to the US State Department and the Treasury.

I know we share the goal of making our sanctions programs more flexible and responsive to changing realities, as well as the goal of incorporating the sanctions into broader strategies in Somalia and elsewhere.”

Criteria for lifting sanctions on individuals or entities pursuant to earlier issued executive orders, how an assessment of these sanctions factor into State Department’s overall review of its Somalia strategy and the impact of the sanctions from 2010 were among the key questions for which Ilhan Omar demanded “prompt response”.

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