Today, 31 years ago, on October 14, 1994 (September 10, 1994) the United States announced the lifting of sanctions on Haiti. On October 14, 1994, U.S. President Clinton announced the lifting of all U.S. sanctions on Haiti as President Aristide returned to Haiti. At the White House farewell ceremony for Aristide's departure from the United States, Clinton signed an executive order to remove sanctions on Haiti. Since October 1991, the United States began to impose sanctions on the military regime of Haiti, which included reducing commercial flights, freezing the assets of the Haitian military leaders in the U.S. ban on shipping goods other than humanitarian aid. Aristide will return to Haiti on October 15.