The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administers a Myanmar-related sanctions program targeting individuals and entities linked to the military regime that seized power in the February 1, 2021 coup against the elected National League for Democracy government. The program is anchored in Executive Order 14014 (February 11, 2021), signed by President Biden, which declared a national emergency over the situation in Burma and authorized blocking sanctions against military leaders, their family members, and entities they control.
Designated parties include senior officers of the Tatmadaw (Myanmar's armed forces), notably Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing and Deputy Commander Soe Win, as well as members of the State Administration Council. OFAC has also targeted military-owned conglomerates Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), designated in March 2021, which dominate sectors from banking to gems.
Subsequent rounds expanded the program to the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) — sanctioned in October 2023 — restricting U.S. persons from providing financial services to the regime's largest foreign-currency earner. Arms dealers, jet fuel suppliers, and timber and gem entities have also been added, often in coordination with the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union.
The program operates under the Burmese Sanctions Regulations (31 C.F.R. Part 525). Listed persons appear on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List, freezing any assets within U.S. jurisdiction and barring U.S. persons from transactions with them. OFAC issues General Licenses authorizing limited activities such as humanitarian aid, official U.S. government business, and certain telecommunications and internet services to ordinary Burmese citizens.
This is a targeted (or "smart") sanctions regime rather than the comprehensive embargo the U.S. maintained from 1997 to 2016 under earlier executive orders, which was lifted by President Obama via Executive Order 13742 following democratic reforms — reforms the 2021 coup reversed.
Example
In October 2023, OFAC designated Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), cutting off U.S.-dollar financial services to the junta's largest source of foreign revenue.
Frequently asked questions
No. Unlike the pre-2016 comprehensive embargo, the current program is targeted at listed individuals and entities. General trade with non-designated Burmese parties is not prohibited for U.S. persons, though it carries significant due-diligence risk.
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