Canadian Sanctions Related to Sudan

Prohibitions

Sanctions related to Sudan were imposed under the United Nations Act to give effect to United Nations Security Council resolutions. Subject to certain exceptions, the measures imposed against Sudan include:

• a prohibition on the export of arms and related material to Sudan or to any person in Sudan;
• a prohibition on the provision, to Sudan or to any person in Sudan, of technical assistance or financial assistance related to arms and related material;
• an assets freeze against those persons designated by the UN Committee established by Resolution 1591 (2005) to oversee the sanctions against Sudan (the 1591 Committee); and
• a travel ban against persons designated by the 1591 Committee.

Causing, facilitating and assisting prohibited activities is prohibited.

Canada also has certain policy measures in place with regard to Sudan, outside the context of United Nations Security Council decisions. More information on these measures can be found on the Embassy of Canada to Sudan website.

Exceptions

There are some exceptions, including for the following:

• non-lethal military equipment intended solely for humanitarian or protective use;
• arms and related material and related technical assistance for certain monitoring, verification or peace support operations;
• protective clothing temporarily exported to Sudan by United Nations personnel, representatives of the media and humanitarian and development workers and associated personnel, solely for their personal use; and
• arms and related material or technical assistance brought into the Darfur territory of Sudan with advance approval of the Committee of the Security Council.

Permits and Certificates

Persons affected by the Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Sudan can apply for a certificate per sections 11 to 14 of the same regulations. The certificate request may require notification to and/or a decision from the United Nations Security Council or the Committee.

Background

On July 30, 2004, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1556 imposing sanctions against Sudan in response to the humanitarian crisis and widespread human rights violations resulting from the conflict in Darfur region. Since 2004, the sanctions regime against Sudan has been subsequently modified and strengthened with the adoption of a number of successor resolutions. On September 23, 2004, the United Nations Sudan Regulations came into force, implementing decisions of the United Nations Security Council into Canadian domestic law.

The United Nations Sudan Regulations have been subsequently updated to reflect decisions of the United Nations Security Council, most recently on June 1, 2020 to implement Resolution 2035 (2012) and to clarify the prohibitions and exemptions called for in previously implemented resolutions.

Selected documents

Related links

• United Nations Security Council 1591 Committee (information concerning the work of the Committee including related UN Security Council resolutions and a consolidated list of designated persons)
• Export and Import Controls
• Canada-Sudan Relations

Legal advice

Please be advised that Global Affairs Canada cannot provide legal advice to members of the public. For this reason, we cannot deliver an opinion as to whether or not a specific activity or transaction would contravene sanctions legislation. You should consider seeking legal advice in relation to an activity that may contravene a Canadian sanction law.