Smart Sanctions Essay

Targeted sanction measures are not an invariable event. The value and effectiveness of sanctions need to be amended over time or possibly eliminated, as domestic, regional or global politics change. The initial actions for imposing sanctions may have disappeared, or the initiating nation(s) may have changed views on the importance of compliance under present circumstances. Because of these potential changes, careful efforts were undertaken to enhance the implementation and monitoring of sanctions, in order to be an effective process in the future. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s there was a shift from comprehensive to targeted sanctions and, as a result of several meetings and among other considerations, the implementation and monitoring

Second, the working panels aimed to clarify and systematize the technical aspects of the implementation stage. In this regard, a model law to harmonize the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) legislation at the member states’ level was developed and a list of standardized language that could be employed in the drafting of UNSC resolutions was created. And third, experts addressed polemic issues like the provision of legal safeguards for individuals and entities that had been targeted with sanctions. This matter led to discussions related to procedures that allowed for the removal of names from the sanctions blacklist, upon request (Guijarro-¬Usobiaga). By utilizing a more practical approach to the use of targeted sanctions, the issuing countries or organizations were better able to understand new possibilities and potential limitations of sanctions. This is not to say that targeted sanctions comprise a high level of success, but rather their success depends upon how many parties are involved and whether or not the target is being coerced, constrained, or

For example, a consequence of sanctioning has been imposing measures that are easily circumvented or evaded by the targeted individuals or regimes. In this case, the actual impact of the sanctions remains relatively low. Again, Dr. Biersteker in his July 2017 lecture, states that all parties issuing sanctions need to increase in effectiveness within individual country regimes over time, including measures of peace maintenance and peace-building. Institutional learning within the UN focuses on increased information concerning targets, utilizing panels of experts in negotiations and discussions, and employing a due process procedure, taking steps to protect targets from unfairness (Biersteker, Sanctions as Tools of Compliance: When and How do They Work?). Sanctions, themselves do not provide a solution to every problem they address, and what may work for one party, may not work for others. In the most recent sanctions against Russia, U.S. policymakers are generally satisfied with the effectiveness, however, the EU stands ready to act against new U.S. sanctions on