Obac William Olawo (Olawo) is a wealthy South Sudanese businessman who has routinely imported standard and armored vehicles for the Government of South Sudan, and as of mid-2018 was engaged in the trade and shipment of arms and armaments to South Sudan. According to public reports, in 2014 alone, an entity owned by Olawo received millions of dollars from the Government of South Sudan for its work importing armored cars and transporting weapons and troops, and in April and May of 2015, one of Olawo’s entities was identified transporting soldiers, arms, and supplies in support of a government offensive.
OFAC also designated three entities in South Sudan that are owned or controlled by Olawo: Golden Wings Aviation, Crown Auto Trade, and Africana General Trading Ltd.
South Sudan Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 558; Executive Order 13664
Regime
OFAC country specific
Target State
South Sudan
Measures
Blocking Property, Suspending Entry
Official Information
On July 1, 2014, OFAC issued the South Sudan Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 558 (79 FR 37190, July 1, 2014) (the “Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13664 of April 3, 2014, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons With Respect to South Sudan” (79 FR 19283, April 7, 2014), pursuant to authorities delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury in E.O. 13664. The Regulations were initially issued in abbreviated form for the purpose of providing immediate guidance to the public. OFAC is revising the Regulations to further implement E.O. 13664. OFAC is amending and reissuing the Regulations as a more comprehensive set of regulations that includes additional interpretive guidance and definitions, general licenses, and other regulatory provisions that will provide further guidance to the public. Due to the number of regulatory sections being updated or added, OFAC is reissuing the Regulations in their entirety.
On April 3, 2014, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), issued E.O. 13664. In E.O. 13664, the President found that the situation in and in relation to South Sudan, which has been marked by activities that threaten the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan and the surrounding region, including widespread violence and atrocities, human rights abuses, recruitment and use of child soldiers, attacks on peacekeepers, and obstruction of humanitarian operations, poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with that threat.
