The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday, outlining more transparent procedures for individuals, companies, and other entities seeking removal from UN sanctions lists. This resolution, jointly presented by Malta and the United States, also authorizes the formation of a new informal working group within the Security Council, tasked with exploring avenues to enhance the efficacy of UN sanctions.
Malta’s UN Ambassador Vanessa Frazier emphasized the resolution’s significance as a “clear signal of this council’s commitment towards due process.” She explained that the resolution introduces a dedicated “focal point” for direct engagement with those seeking to be delisted. This focal point will gather information from various sources and share it with the Security Council committee overseeing sanctions, the entity responsible for delisting decisions. The resolution also mandates that the reasons behind the committee’s decisions be provided to the petitioner.
Following the vote, Robert Wood, the US deputy ambassador, hailed the unanimous approval as “a historic moment,” highlighting the fact that delisting procedures had remained unchanged for 18 years. “The international community is demonstrating its commitment to values such as transparency and fairness in U.N. sanctions processes,” he stated.
Wood acknowledged the importance of Security Council sanctions as a tool to deter a range of threats to peace and security, including the proliferation of weapons and arms of mass destruction, combating terrorism, and preventing human rights abuses. However, he underscored the necessity of targeted sanctions and “robust and fair procedures for delisting when warranted.”
The United States, according to Wood, opposes indefinite and punitive sanctions and supports delisting and easing sanctions when justified. However, he expressed concern about a growing trend of premature sanction lifting, even when the threats that prompted their initial implementation persist. While he refrained from providing specific examples, it is worth noting that the US and its allies, including South Korea and Japan, have vehemently opposed Russian and Chinese proposals to ease sanctions on North Korea, which continues to violate UN sanctions with its ballistic missile testing and nuclear developments.
Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, emphasized Moscow’s belief that Security Council sanctions are a “most stringent and robust responses to threats to peace.” He asserted that they should be implemented with “exceedingly cautious way” and remain “irreproachable, be substantiated, and they need to be nuanced.” He also stated that the use of such sanctions as a punitive tool is unacceptable.
Polyansky highlighted the need for sanctions to reflect the actual situation within a country and facilitate political processes. He criticized the Security Council for not consistently adhering to this approach, blaming the West for the increased reliance on sanctions in recent years.
