Treasury Department Announces Sanctions against South Sudanese Officials for Involvement in Conflict Related Sexual Violence [1]
On June 20, 2023, the United States Treasury Department announced [3] that it had designated for sanctions Major General James Nando and Governor Alfred Futuyo of South Sudan for their involvement in sexual violence related to the ongoing conflict in that country. As reported by JURIST [4], the sanctions “block their access to any US assets and prevents US nationals from doing business with them.” The designations come following a Presidential Memorandum [5], enacted in November of 2022, in which President Biden called for accountability for conflict related sexual violence, and United Nations Security Council resolution 2677 (2023) [6]. Resolution 2677 (2023) expressed the Council’s “grave concern at ongoing reports of sexual and gender-based violence” undertaken for “the purpose of intimidation and punishment [for] perceived political affiliation” and membership in certain ethnic groups. The resolution authorized the United Nations Mission in South Sudan to take all necessary means to “deter, prevent, and respond to sexual and gender-based violence” against civilians, including active intervention if required. The JURIST article highlighted the “escalating crisis of violence and human rights violations,” which the actions of the Treasury Department, White House, and Security Council seek to stop.