Introductory Note to United Nations Security Council Resolution on Targeted Sanctions in South Sudan
54 International Legal Materials (2015)
5 Pages Posted: 6 Nov 2015 Last revised: 20 Nov 2015
Date Written: March 2, 2015
Abstract
This Note discusses the purposes and provisions of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2206 on South Sudan, which provides for targeted sanctions -- consisting of a travel ban and asset freeze -- against South Sudanese individuals and entities deemed responsible for the civil war that erupted in December 2013. After providing a brief overview of Resolution 2206, the Note discusses the rationales for targeted, as opposed to general, sanctions. The Note then examines the potential obstacles to the sanctions' effectiveness in achieving their purported aim -- to "support the search for an inclusive and sustainable peace in South Sudan." Finally, the Note concludes that targeted sanctions on South Sudanese actors are more likely to have a symbolic effect -- naming and shaming the culprits and denying them international legitimacy -- than a practical effect in halting the conflict.
Keywords: United Nations (UN), UN Security Council (UNSC), Africa, South Sudan, civil conflict, international sanctions, targeted sanctions
JEL Classification: K33, K42
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation