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Mauritius Enforces UN Sanctions: Travel Ban and Financial Prohibitions in Place

In a move to comply with United Nations (UN) sanctions, Mauritius has implemented a travel ban and financial prohibitions on designated individuals and entities. The country’s National Sanctions Secretariat (NSSec) is the focal point for UN sanctions-related matters, responsible for coordinating and promoting effective implementation of obligations under UN Security Council resolutions.

Travel Ban

A travel ban has been imposed on listed parties, excluding those who are citizens or residents of Mauritius. These individuals shall not be allowed entry into, or transit through, Mauritius.

Supervision

The NSSec is responsible for immediately giving public notice of any changes to UN sanctions lists, including the 1718 and 2231 Lists. Supervisory authorities, such as:

  • Attorney General
  • Bank of Mauritius
  • Financial Intelligence Unit
  • Financial Services Commission
  • Gambling Regulatory Authority
  • MIPA
  • Registrar of Companies
  • Registrar of Cooperatives

are responsible for supervising and enforcing compliance by reporting persons over whom they exercise control or oversight.

Dissemination and Consultation

The NSSec’s website (http://nssec.govmu.org) is the primary source for updates to sanctions lists. Reporting persons are required to monitor and immediately implement any changes to UN sanctions lists, ensuring they do not deal with or release funds and other assets of listed parties.

Sanctions Screening

Sanctions apply to all clients and transactions, with no minimum financial limit or threshold for screening. Section 25 of the Sanctions Act requires reporting persons to verify whether details of a listed party match those of any customer, and if so, to identify and report suspicious transactions.

Guidelines for Reporting Persons

Reporting persons are required to implement internal controls and procedures to effectively comply with their obligations under the Sanctions Act. This includes:

  • Counter-proliferation financing obligations
  • Adherence to reporting requirements and authorisation mechanisms established by the Act

Mauritius’ implementation of UN sanctions demonstrates its commitment to combating terrorism, proliferation, and transnational organized crime, while also upholding international law and regulations.