US expands sanctions on Cuba and orders university research audits

The United States has implemented new measures targeting Cuban entities and domestic academic research security. The US Department of War has ordered 30 universities to conduct comprehensive audits of their financial and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern. These audits, aimed at preventing intellectual property theft and unauthorized technology transfer, specifically target ties identified under the National Defence Authorisation Act and organizations associated with rebranded Confucius Institutes. Universities must report findings and implement mitigation plans, including the termination of problematic partnerships, by August 31.

Simultaneously, the US Department of State and the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) have expanded sanctions against Cuba. New designations target entities in the Cuban energy sector, individuals and organizations linked to the military conglomerate Grupo de Administración S.A., and those involved in the government’s overseas medical missions, which the State Department characterized as involving a “policy or pattern of forced labor.” To facilitate the transition, OFAC issued general licenses allowing for the wind-down of certain transactions involving designated entities until August 22, 2026.