Hauts Plateaux, South Kivu, Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Official reason
OFAC is also targeting individuals and entities associated with AFC, including Bertrand Bisimwa, the president of M23; Twirwaneho, an AFC-affiliated armed group in the DRC’s South Kivu province; and Charles Sematama, a commander and deputy military leader of Twirwaneho. Twirwaneho is an armed group in South Kivu province that is a member of AFC and collaborates with M23. The leader of Twirwaneho is Michel Rukunda (Rukunda), who was sanctioned by OFAC, along with other Congolese armed group leaders, on December 8, 2023 pursuant to E.O. 13413, as amended. In February 2024, the UN Security Council’s 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee also added Rukunda to its sanctions list. Twirwaneho is responsible for attacks against civilians and forced recruitment, including of minors.
Twirwaneho is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13413, as amended, for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, the targeting of women, children, or any civilians through the commission of acts of violence (including killing, maiming, torture, or rape or other sexual violence), abduction, forced displacement, or attacks on schools, hospitals, religious sites, or locations where civilians are seeking refuge, or through conduct that would constitute a serious abuse or violation of human rights or a violation of international humanitarian law in or in relation to the DRC.
Charles Sematama (Sematama) is a commander and deputy military leader of Twirwaneho. Sematama deserted from the Congolese military in February 2021 and leads Twirwaneho operations, including the armed group’s forcible recruitment of minors. Sematama is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13413, as amended, for being a leader of Twirwaneho.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. 547
Regime
OFAC country specific / UN
Target State
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Measures
Blocking Property
Sanctions Portfolio
• https://ofac.treasury.gov/faqs/topic/1556
460. Can U.S. persons do business with entities in North Korea?
No. Unless authorized pursuant to a general or specific license from OFAC and/or BIS, Executive Order (E.O.) 13722 prohibits new investment in North Korea by a U.S. person and the exportation or reexportation, from the United States, or by a U.S. person, of any goods, services, or technology to North Korea. E.O. 13810 (“Imposing Additional Sanctions with Respect to North Korea”) does not modify any of those prohibitions.
Official Information
On May 28, 2009, OFAC issued the Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 547 (the “Regulations”) (74 FR 25439, May 28, 2009) to implement Executive Order 13413 of October 27, 2006 (71 FR 64105, October 31, 2006) (E.O. 13413).
Executive Order 13671. On July 8, 2014, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International EmergencyEconomic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701–1706) (IEEPA) and section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), issued Executive Order 13671 (79 FR 39949, July 10, 2014) (E.O. 13671). In E.O. 13671, the President amended E.O. 13413 to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency with respect to the situation in or in relation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared in E.O. 13413, in view of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions, including Resolution 2136 of January 30, 2014, and in light of the continuation of activities that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the surrounding region, including operations by armed groups, widespread violence and atrocities, human rights abuses, recruitment and use of child soldiers, attacks on peacekeepers, obstruction of humanitarian operations, and exploitation of natural resources to finance persons engaged in these activities.
