Termination of Emergency With Respect to Sierra Leone and Liberia

This executive order terminates national emergencies declared in 2001 regarding Sierra Leone and Liberia, citing improved conditions including ended civil wars, Charles Taylor's exile, and implementation of the Kimberley Process for diamond certification. The order revokes prior executive orders effective January 16, 2004, but preserves legal actions and penalties for acts committed before that date.

Federal Register Open PDF 69 FR 2823

Impact dates

Jan 16, 2004
Order effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time; termination of national emergency and revocation of prior orders takes effect

Key directives

Terminate national emergency declared in EO 13194 and expanded in EO 13213
Revoke Executive Orders 13194 and 13213
Preserve pending actions, proceedings, matured rights, duties, and incurred penalties from prior to effective date
Effective at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 16, 2004

Timeline

Immediate

termination of national emergency takes effect at 12:01 a.m. EST January 16, 2004
revocation of Executive Orders 13194 and 13213
transmission to Congress
Federal Register publication

Near term (90d)

adjustment of compliance procedures for diamond importers
agency implementation of terminated sanctions regimes

Long term

shift to Clean Diamond Trade Act as sole U.S. rough diamond import control mechanism
normalized trade relations with Sierra Leone and Liberia

Risks & tensions

Legal continuity tension: termination preserves pre-existing legal actions and penalties, creating dual regime for past vs. future conduct
Diamond trade enforcement gap risk: shift from emergency sanctions to Clean Diamond Trade Act may require interagency coordination
Liberia uncertainty: peace agreement was only months old (August 2003); stability remained unproven at termination