Somalia

  • Last revised:06 March 2025

Purpose of the Sanctions Regime

This sanctions regime is aimed at encouraging the government of Somalia to:

  • ensure the UK continues to meet its obligations under the United Nations sanctions regime relating to Somalia
  • promote the peace, stability and security of Somalia
  • support the Federal Government of Somalia to promote peace, stability, security and the rule of law, including, in particular, supporting its efforts to reconstruct the country, to counter the threats posed by terrorism and from illegal armed groups, and to tackle the flow of illegal arms
  • promote the effective delivery of the mandates of the regional and international monitoring, peace-support and protection and training missions and mechanisms in Somalia
  • promote respect for humanitarian assistance activities in Somalia
  • promote compliance with the rules of international humanitarian law applicable to the armed conflicts in Somalia
  • promote respect for human rights in Somalia

Overview of current sanctions measures

Current sanction measures implemented in Jersey in relation to Somalia include:

  • asset freezes and restrictions on making funds and economic resources available to and for the benefit of designated persons
  • travel ban
  • prohibitions against the export, supply and delivery, making available, or transfer of certain goods and technology (such as Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components), or military goods and military technology
  • prohibitions against providing technical assistance, financial services and funds, brokering service relating to military goods and military technology
  • prohibitions against enabling or facilitating the conduct of armed hostilities
  • trade prohibitions relating to import, purchase and transportation of charcoal relating to Somalia 
  • director disqualification sanctions

Latest news

30 May 2024

The Current List of designated persons has been updated. All current sanctions designations effective in Jersey are available in other formats on the UK Sanctions List. Further information can be found on Jersey Gazette (gov.je).

21 May 2024

The UNSC Sanctions List has been amended with immediate effect in Jersey. Further information can be found on Jersey Gazette. 

*All published Latest News notices relating to financial sanctions, including those extending beyond the last 30 days, may be obtained from the Jersey Gazette

Jersey regime

The Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Jersey) Order 2021 (the Jersey Order) implements the Somalia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (the UK Regulations).

Article 3 of the Jersey Order imposes the asset-freeze provisions in Part 3 of the Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Jersey) Law 2019 (the SAFL) on any person listed by or under the UK Regulations. The Part 3 provisions also include, but are not limited to, Articles 15-17 of the SAFL on exceptions, licences, and circumventing prohibitions etc.

Offences

The offences for this regime are set out in both the SAFL and the Jersey Order.

Reporting obligations

Reporting obligations are set out at Article 32 of the SAFL and apply to all regimes in force. These obligations include requirements for a relevant financial institution to inform the Minister if:

  • it holds an account of a person, has entered into dealings or an agreement with a person or has been approached by or on behalf of a person, and
  • it knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that the person:
    • is a designated person, or;
    • has committed an offence, is committing or intends to commit an offence under this Law, and  
  • the information or other matter on which the knowledge or reasonable cause for suspicion is based came to it in the course of carrying on its business.

Licences and exceptions

A Jersey General Licence, granted by the Minister, allows multiply parties to conduct specified activities that would otherwise be restricted by sanctions measures. Supervised persons must ensure that their activities are within the scope of the General Licence's terms and that they adhere to all its conditions.

The Minister may also grant a specific licence under the SAFL and/or the Jersey Order.

To apply for a specific sanctions licence a supervised person must complete the relevant Sanctions form and return the completed form to sanctions@gov.je.

The FSIU provides guidance on sanctions licences and exceptions  on the Government of Jersey website Sanctions.

NB: This regime also allows for the designation of persons for immigration/travel restrictions, which would be enforced under Jersey’s immigration legislation.

Legal acts

Jersey

  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Jersey) Law 2019
  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Jersey) Order 2021

United Kingdom

  • The Somalia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020
  • The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2020

United Nations Security Council

Further information

Useful information is provided on gov.uk regarding Financial sanctions, Somalia 

Sanctions evasion typologies examples: UNSC Panel of Experts reports