The Impact of Sanctions on Humanitarian and Peacemaking Operations

Sanctions and other tools of economic statecraft often create complex challenges for humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors working in jurisdictions with the presence of sanctioned entities. Organizations must manage complex regulatory and compliance burdens and often find themselves unable to access timely and effective financial services even when licenses or other exemptions exist. These challenges impact the delivery of humanitarian assistance and undermined the three pillars of the HDP nexus individually and undercut the goals of coherence across these sectors more broadly.

Numerous working groups and initiatives have sought to mitigate these challenges; recent efforts by the United States and United Nations welcomed first steps to standardize processes and reduce compliance burdens. However, more must be done. In this session, the International Crisis Group discuss their key findings on sanctions and peacemaking. A panel discussion will explore the papers and other key issues around sanctions compliance.