Federal Register Notice on Partial Lifting of the Embargo Against Rwanda

Question:   Explain the partial lifting of the embargo against Rwanda announced in Federal Register today (Public Notice 4399)?

Answer:   Under this Federal Register notice, the prohibition on the sale or transfer of defense articles and services to Rwanda required by part 126.1 (“Prohibited exports and sales to certain countries”) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) has been lifted, effective July 30, 2003, with respect to the Government of Rwanda. Under this notice, the Department is now prepared to consider on a case-by-case basis, the sale and transfer of defense articles and services to the Government of Rwanda; however, the sale or transfer of such items to other Rwandan entities remains prohibited.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12918 (May 26, 1994), which implemented UN Security Council Resolution 918’s call for all States to impose an embargo on the sale of arms to the then-government of Rwanda and non-governmental entities in Rwanda due to civil strife in that country, a Federal Register notice was published on June 2, 1994, that suspended all licenses and other approvals authorizing the export or transfer of defense articles and services to Rwanda. A policy of denial was also imposed for all future exports or transfers to Rwanda under that notice. Rwanda was subsequently added to the list of embargoed countries in part 126.1 of the ITAR.

On August 16, 1995, UN Security Council Resolution 1011 lifted the arms embargo under UNSCR 918 with respect to the Government of Rwanda. The embargo remained in place for all non-government entities in that country. With today’s Federal Register notice, U.S. arms export policy with respect to Rwanda now conforms to that of the United Nations.

It should be noted that while the U.S. Government always honors UN sanctions, it also reserves the right to pursue unilateral arms export controls as dictated by U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives – even when the UN sanctions have been modified or lifted. The Department has determined that it would be appropriate to exercise a partial lifting of the embargo on Rwanda. We will continue to review arms sales to Rwanda on a case-by-case basis.