“In response to the devastating earthquakes in Syria on February 6, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) authorized activity supporting emergency earthquake relief efforts in Syria that would otherwise be prohibited by U.S. sanctions in Syria. Specifically, OFAC issued a broad authorization in the form of a general license, General License (GL) 23, to authorize for 180 days certain transactions related to earthquake relief efforts that would otherwise be prohibited by the Syrian Sanctions Regulations. This license supplements broad humanitarian authorizations already in effect under the Syrian Sanctions Regulations for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, and the U.S. government that authorize the provision of disaster relief to Syria.

Specifically, GL 23 expands upon existing humanitarian authorizations to enable foreign governments and private companies to provide support to earthquake relief efforts in Syria and provides additional assurances to financial institutions who process such transactions. This guidance responds to specific questions OFAC received related to earthquake relief efforts in Syria and explains how to provide legitimate humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people in compliance with U.S. sanctions. GL 23 reflects the United States’ commitment to support the people of Syria through their ongoing humanitarian crisis—it is not a change in policy toward the Assad regime. While this authorization alone cannot remedy the many challenges of operating and providing aid in Syria, it can ensure that U.S. sanctions do not inhibit relief following the earthquake disaster.”

Read the guidance here: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/126/syria_earthquake_relief_compliance_guidance.pdf