The Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Made: 15th December 2025

Laid before Parliament: 16th December 2025

Coming into force: 6th January 2026

The Secretary of State[^f00001], considering that the condition in section 45(2) of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018[^f00002] is met, makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1(1)(a) and (3)(a), 5, 11(5), 17(4), 54(2), 62(4)(d) of, and paragraphs 2(a)(iii), 4(a)(iii), 5(a)(iii), 6(a)(iii), 11(a)(iii), 13(a), (g), (k), (m), (u) and (w) and 14(a) and (f) of Schedule 1 to, that Act.

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.

• (2) These Regulations come into force on 6th January 2026.

• (3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Amendments to the Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

2

• (1) The Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020[^f00003] are amended in accordance with this regulation.

• (2) In regulation 2 (interpretation), after the definition of “resolution 2507” insert—

• “resolution 2536” means resolution 2536 (2020) adopted by the Security Council on 28 July 2020;
• “resolution 2588” means resolution 2588 (2021) adopted by the Security Council on 29 July 2021;
• “resolution 2648” means resolution 2648 (2022) adopted by the Security Council on 29 July 2022;
• “resolution 2693” means resolution 2693 (2023) adopted by the Security Council on 27 July 2023;
• “resolution 2745” means resolution 2745 (2024) adopted by the Security Council on 30 July 2024;
• “resolution 2789” means resolution 2789 (2025) adopted by the Security Council on 29 July 2025;

• (3) In regulation 4 (purposes)—

• (a) in paragraph (3)(c) for “paragraph 54 of resolution 2127” substitute “paragraph 2 of resolution 2745[^f00004]”;

• (b) in paragraph (4)(f) omit “and”;

• (c) after paragraph (4)(g) insert—

(h) paragraph 5 of resolution 2536; (i) paragraph 5 of resolution 2588; (j) paragraph 5 of resolution 2648; (k) paragraph 5 of resolution 2693; (l) paragraph 5 of resolution 2745; and (m) paragraph 1 of resolution 2789.

• (d) after paragraph (4) insert—

(5) Any reference to the obligations that the United Kingdom has by virtue of paragraph 2 of resolution 2745 (arms embargo) is to that provision read with paragraph 1 of resolution 2789.

• (4) In regulation 6 (designation criteria: meaning of “involved person”), in sub-paragraph (5)(c) for “and 2507” substitute “, 2507, 2536, 2588, 2648, 2693, 2745 and 2789”.

• (5) In regulation 20 (interpretation of other expressions used in this Part), for paragraph (4) substitute—

(4) For the purposes of this Part, a group is to be regarded as an “armed group operating in the Central African Republic” if the group is— (a) party to an armed conflict in the Central African Republic, and (b) not acting on the instructions of, or under the direction or control of, the Government of the Central African Republic. (5) For the purposes of this Part, an “associated individual” includes an individual who— (a) is a member of an armed group operating in the Central African Republic; or (b) takes part in any activities that the individual knows or reasonably suspects are activities of the armed group or will help the armed group carry out its activities.

• (6) In regulation 21 (export of military goods), in paragraph (1), for “, or for use in, the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”.

• (7) In regulation 22 (supply and delivery of military goods)—

• (a) in paragraph (1), for “a place in the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”;

• (b) in paragraph (3), for “the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”.

• (8) In regulation 23 (making military goods and military technology available)—

• (a) for paragraph (1) substitute—

(1) A person must not directly or indirectly make military goods or military technology available to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual.

• (b) for paragraph (3) substitute—

(3) A person (“P”) who contravenes the prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for P to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the armed group was operating in the Central African Republic or that the individual was an associated individual.

• (9) In regulation 24 (transfer of military technology)—

• (a) for paragraph (1) substitute—

(1) A person must not transfer military technology to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual.

• (b) for paragraph (3) substitute—

(3) A person (“P”) who contravenes the prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for P to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the transfer was to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual, or that the individual was an associated individual.

• (10) In regulation 25 (technical assistance relating to military goods and military technology)—

• (a) for paragraph (1) substitute—

(1) A person must not directly or indirectly provide technical assistance relating to military goods or military technology to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual.

• (b) for paragraph (3) substitute—

(3) A person (“P”) who contravenes the prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for P to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the armed group was operating in the Central African Republic or that the individual was an associated individual.

• (11) In regulation 26 (financial services and funds relating to military goods and military technology)—

• (a) in paragraph (1) for “a person connected with the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”;

• (b) in paragraph (2) for “a person connected with the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”;

• (c) in paragraph (3)(a) for “, or for use in, the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”;

• (d) in paragraph (3)(b) for “a place in the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”;

• (e) for paragraph (3)(c) substitute—

(c) directly or indirectly making military goods or military technology available to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual,

• (f) for paragraph (3)(d) substitute—

(d) the transfer of military technology to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual, or

• (g) for paragraph (3)(e) substitute—

(e) the direct or indirect provision of technical assistance relating to military goods or military technology to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual.

• (h) for paragraph (5)(a) substitute—

(a) it is a defence for a person charged with an offence of contravening paragraph (1) or (2) (“P”) to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the armed group was operating in the Central African Republic or that the individual was an associated individual.

• (12) In regulation 27 (brokering services: non-UK activity relating to military goods and military technology)—

• (a) in paragraph (1)(a) for “a place in the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”;

• (b) for paragraph (1)(b) substitute—

(b) directly or indirectly making military goods available in a third country for direct or indirect supply or delivery to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual,

• (c) for paragraph (1)(c) substitute—

(c) directly or indirectly making military technology available in a third country for transfer to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual,

• (d) for paragraph (1)(d) substitute—

(d) the transfer of military technology from a place in a third country to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual,

• (e) for paragraph (1)(e) substitute—

(e) the direct or indirect provision, in a non-UK country, of technical assistance relating to military goods or military technology to an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual,

• (f) in paragraph (1)(f)(i) for “a person connected with the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”;

• (g) in paragraph (1)(g) for “a person connected with the Central African Republic” substitute “an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual”.

• (13) In regulation 28 (enabling or facilitating the conduct of armed hostilities)—

• (a) for paragraph (1) substitute—

(1) A person must not directly or indirectly provide anything falling within paragraph (1A) to or for the benefit of an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual, or to any person acting on behalf or under the direction of such an armed group or associated individual, where such provision— (a) relates to the operations of the recipient in the Central African Republic, or (b) otherwise enables or facilitates the conduct of armed hostilities in the Central African Republic.

• (b) after paragraph (1) insert—

(1A) The following fall within this paragraph— (a) technical assistance, (b) armed personnel, (c) financial services or funds, or (d) brokering services provided in relation to an arrangement whose object or effect is to provide, in a non-UK country, anything mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) to (c).

• (c) for paragraph (3) substitute—

(3) A person who contravenes the prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for a person charged with that offence (“P”) to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that— (a) the provision as mentioned in paragraph (1)— (i) was to or for the benefit of an armed group operating in the Central African Republic or an associated individual, or to any person acting on behalf or under the direction of such a group or individual; (ii) related to the operations of the recipient in the Central African Republic or would otherwise enable or facilitate the conduct of armed hostilities in the Central African Republic; or (b) the individual to whom the provision as mentioned in paragraph (1) was made was an associated individual.

Signed

Stephen Doughty — Minister of State — Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office — 15th December 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations are made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (c. 13) to amend the Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/616) (“the CAR Regulations”). These amendments are being made to ensure compliance with the UK’s UN obligations, specifically to ensure changes made by the UN Security Resolution 2745 (2024) (as extended by Resolution 2789 (2025)), in relation to the Central African Republic, are reflected.

Regulation 4 of the CAR Regulations is amended to include reference to the amendment of the scope of the arms embargo by Resolution 2745 (2024) in relation to armed groups and associated individuals operating in the Central African Republic. Regulation 20 of the CAR Regulations is amended to provide a definition of “armed group operating in the Central African Republic” and a definition of an “associated individual” of such a group. Regulations 21 to 28 of the CAR Regulations are amended in light of these changes.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen. An impact assessment was, however, produced for the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and can be found at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653271/Sanctions_and_Anti-Money_Laundering_Bill_Impact_Assessment_18102017.pdf.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: The power to make regulations under Part 1 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (c. 13) is conferred on an “appropriate Minister”. Section 1(9)(a) of that Act defines an “appropriate Minister” as including the Secretary of State.

[^f00002]: 2018 c. 13, as amended by the Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 (c. 10) and the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56).

[^f00003]: S.I. 2020/616, amended by the Sentencing Act 2020, Schedule 24, paragraph 446(1) and by S.I. 2020/950, 2022/500, 819, 2023/121, 149, 2024/644, 1157 and 2025/394.

[^f00004]: The arms embargo measures provided for in paragraph 2 of resolution 2745 have been renewed by paragraph 1 of resolution 2789 (2025) adopted by the Security Council on 29 July 2025.