ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13298Executive OrderG.W. Bush · R

Executive Order 13298

Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Actions and Policies of Unita and Revocation of Related Executive Orders

This executive order terminates the national emergency declared in 1993 regarding UNITA (Angolan rebel group) and revokes three related executive orders (12865, 13069, 13098), citing peace progress between Angola's government and UNITA. The termination takes effect May 7, 2003, but preserves ongoing legal actions and penalties for pre-existing violations.

Federal Register Open PDF 68 FR 24857

Impact dates

  1. Order effective - emergency termination and revocation of sanctions take effect

  2. Transmittal to Congress and Federal Register publication

Key directives

  • Terminate national emergency declared in Executive Order 12865
  • Revoke Executive Orders 12865, 13069, and 13098
  • Preserve pending legal actions and pre-existing penalties (Section 1)
  • Disclaim private enforceable rights (Section 2)
  • Effective date: 12:01 a.m. EDT May 7, 2003 (Section 3a)
  • Transmit to Congress and publish in Federal Register (Section 3b)

Timeline

Immediate

  • Emergency termination effective May 7, 2003 at 12:01 a.m. EDT
  • Revocation of sanctions executive orders 12865, 13069, 13098
  • Unfreezing of UNITA-related assets
  • Lifting of trade/financial restrictions on UNITA

Near term (90d)

  • Treasury/OFAC implementation of asset unfreezing
  • Banks and financial institutions adjusting compliance procedures
  • Congressional notification under NEA

Long term

  • Normalization of U.S.-Angola relations
  • Potential economic reintegration of former UNITA-controlled territories
  • Precedent for emergency termination upon peace agreements

Risks & tensions

  • Section 1 creates legal complexity: ongoing enforcement actions continue while new sanctions activities cease, potentially creating jurisdictional confusion
  • Asset unfreezing timing uncertain: Treasury implementation lag possible despite immediate effective date
  • Peace fragility: if UNITA situation deteriorated, re-imposing emergency would require new executive action
  • No explicit guidance on disposition of frozen assets—assumes automatic unfreezing but administrative steps required
Executive Order 13298: Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Actions and Policies of Unita and Revocation of Related Executive Orders · Executive Orders