Skip to main content
Statutory guidance

Somalia sanctions: guidance

Statutory guidance for the Somalia sanctions regime, plus a summary of its purposes, scope and prohibitions.

Updates to this page

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Export Control Joint Unit and Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation
Published:
31 December 2020
Last updated:
1 May 2026
Show all updates

  1. Amended to clarify which Department for Business and Trade (DBT) teams now lead on trade sanctions licensing.

  2. Added summary of the regime's purposes, scope and prohibitions.

  3. Page has been updated for better clarity and usability. No material changes to text.

  4. Page navigation has been updated for better usability. No material changes to text.

  5. Reference to 'Import Case Management System' updated to 'Apply for an import licence' to reflect new service name.

  6. These changes reflect the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2024 and taken together make a range of technical changes with the purpose of improving OFSI’s ability to gather intelligence on industry’s compliance with financial sanctions, strengthen OFSI’s enforcement powers, enable OFSI to conduct its licensing responsibilities more efficiently, and clarify financial sanctions legislation where there is existing uncertainty.

  7. Updated guidance to reflect changes following United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2713 (2023).

  8. Updated to reflect provisions of UN Humanitarian Exception SI

  9. Updated to reflect UNSC resolutions

  10. First published.

Documents

Somalia sanctions: statutory guidance

HTML

Details

The Somalia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, and certain other regulations, are in force to implement certain UN obligations and to meet the UK’s policy objectives.  

This summary gives a quick overview of the sanctions in place under the regime. It is not comprehensive and is not a replacement for the statutory guidance or the regulations themselves. 

Summary 

Regime is limited in scope to: 

  1. sanctions in respect of designated persons  
  2. sanctions in respect of: 
  • military goods and technology 
  • improvised explosive devices (IED) components goods and technology 
  • enabling or facilitating the conduct of armed hostilities in Somalia 
  • the import, purchase or transportation  of charcoal 

Designated persons  

The UK Sanctions List tells you who is designated under the regime and which sanctions have been applied to them. A designated person can be an individual, a business or an organisation.  

The statutory guidance lists in detail the sanctions that can apply in respect of designated persons, including: 

  • an asset freeze on their funds and other assets 
  • making available funds or economic resources to them or for their benefit 
  • director disqualification 
  • immigration sanction (travel ban) 

Sanctioned goods and services 

You must not export or otherwise supply or transfer to or for use in Somalia, or to a person connected with Somalia certain goods in these categories (this is not an exhaustive list): 

  • military, security and para-military goods, software and technology and arms, ammunition and related material 
  • improvised explosive devices (IED) components, goods and technology 

Related financial services, brokering services and technical assistance may also be subject to sanctions. 

You must not provide technical assistance, armed personnel, financial services or funds or brokering services that enable or facilitate the conduct of armed hostilities in Somalia. 

You must not import or directly or indirectly acquire charcoal from Somalia (including charcoal originally consigned from Somalia).

Sign up for emails or print this page

Related content