The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), part of the Treasury Department, has administered several distinct sanctions programs targeting Sudan over the past three decades. The original comprehensive program was established by Executive Order 13067 (1997) under President Bill Clinton, which declared a national emergency citing Sudan's support for international terrorism, destabilization of neighbors, and human rights abuses. It froze Sudanese government assets and imposed a broad trade embargo. Executive Order 13412 (2006) expanded restrictions in response to the Darfur conflict while carving out the autonomous region of Southern Sudan.
In January 2017, President Obama issued Executive Order 13761 initiating a conditional revocation, and in October 2017 the Trump administration formally lifted the comprehensive trade embargo and unblocked most Sudanese government assets after Khartoum met benchmarks on counterterrorism cooperation, humanitarian access, and ending hostilities. Sudan's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (in place since 1993) was rescinded in December 2020, removing further statutory restrictions.
Following the April 2023 outbreak of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ("Hemedti"), OFAC re-engaged with targeted designations. Under Executive Order 14098 (May 2023), Treasury has sanctioned RSF and SAF-affiliated companies, commanders, and gold-trading networks accused of fueling the conflict and committing atrocities. In January 2025, OFAC designated Hemedti personally, and Secretary of State Blinken issued a formal determination that the RSF had committed genocide in Darfur; Burhan was also sanctioned days later.
Current Sudan-related measures are therefore targeted (smart) sanctions rather than a country-wide embargo, focused on individuals, militias, and commercial entities sustaining the war economy. Compliance obligations apply to all U.S. persons and to non-U.S. persons causing violations within U.S. jurisdiction, with secondary sanctions risk for foreign facilitators.
Example
In January 2025, OFAC designated RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ("Hemedti") under Executive Order 14098, the same week the U.S. determined the RSF had committed genocide in Darfur.