CONCEPTS
INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS
There are many different types of sanctions or restrictions in place against Countries. These are usually imposed due to the political situation of the sanctioned country.
Although some sanctions are very broad (eg Iran or North Korea), many are very limited and may be in respect of a deposed despot and their family and cronies, or may be an arms embargo.
The three imposer of sanctions are the UN, the EU, and the US (Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)). Their sanction lists are generally diiferent and attention should be given to certain anomalies – eg US sanctions for Cuba. Almost all countries will tend to follow UN sanctions, countries within the EU will mirror those sanctions imposed by the EU.
Not all and sanctions or restrictions will mirror the UN, EU and US. There are other international bodies and countries that have imposed sanctions against countries. Below are examples of independent sanctions that are or have been in place: -
The Arab league (comprising of 22 Arab countries) has sanctions in place against Israel and Syria.
Australia and New Zealand used to have limited sanctions in place against Fiji.
The OSCE (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) has imposed an arms embargo against Armenia and Azerbaijan with regard to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has imposed an arms embargo on their member countries