Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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This notice formally continues a national emergency that was originally declared with respect to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), a presidentially declared national emergency automatically terminates after one year unless the president publishes a notice in the Federal Register stating that the emergency will continue. This document fulfills that legal requirement. The original emergency declaration, established under prior administrations, targeted individuals and entities whose actions were determined to threaten the peace, security, or stability of the DRC or to undermine democratic processes there. The legal authority primarily used is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which grants the president broad powers to regulate international commerce and financial transactions in response to declared national emergencies. The practical effect of this continuation is that existing executive orders related to the DRC emergency remain in force. This includes the ability of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) within the Treasury Department to maintain and enforce sanctions against designated individuals and entities connected to destabilizing activities in the DRC. The primary parties affected include individuals and organizations on the OFAC sanctions list related to the DRC, U.S. persons and financial institutions who must ensure they do not conduct prohibited transactions with designated parties, and businesses operating in or with ties to the DRC. The continuation does not add new designations or change existing policy on its own. This action is largely procedural and administrative in nature. It reflects continuity in U.S. foreign policy toward the DRC regardless of which political party holds the presidency, as these emergencies have been renewed across multiple administrations. The continuation takes effect immediately upon publication in the Federal Register.

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