US – President extends national emergency with respect to Libya

On February 24, 2016, the Federal Register published Presidential Notice of February 22, 2016 – Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Libya, which extends the measures first established by Executive Order (EO) 13566 (February 25, 2011) for an additional year.   In EO 13396, the President declared a national emergency, to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions of Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, his government, and close associates, who took extreme measures against the people of Libya, including by using weapons of war, mercenaries, and wanton violence against unarmed civilians. In addition, there was a serious risk that Libyan state assets would be misappropriated by Qadhafi, members of his government, members of his family, or his close associates if those assets were not protected. The foregoing circumstances, the prolonged attacks, and the increased numbers of Libyans seeking refuge in other countries caused a deterioration in the security of Libya and posed a serious risk to its stability.

Because the situation in Libya continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and we need to protect against the diversion of assets or other abuse by certain members of Qadhafi’s family and other former regime officials, the measures are being extended for an additional year.