Integrating sanctions with other UN responses 51 sions and expert groups, and for peacekeeping missions periodically briefing sanctions committees on their sanctions monitoring mandates. Collaboration between field missions and expert groups, thus, could be mutually beneficial. Early access to expert group reports would allow UN field missions both to provide input, as well as to feed the report’s observations and conclusions into planning decisions, including managing information that could affect the operating environment for the missions. Field missions called for formalising communication with a designated contact point at Headquarters on sanctions-related issues. The Review also considered the role of the Special Representatives of the Secretary General (SRSG) who lead UN field missions and coordinate activities in the relevant State. Participants indicated that a relationship between SRSGs and the sanctions system was required for field missions to properly support the implementation of sanctions. When SRSGs are engaged, it made a significant difference to the effectiveness of the sanctions. Some SRSGs, however, resisted engaging on sanctions because they thought it would interfere with their broader mandate even though examples were discussed where the relevant sanctions committee and expert group maintained good relationships with both the government of the subject State, as well as the local UN field mission and Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG). 53. DPA should undertake assessment missions prior to a new sanctions regime, as and when possible. 54. Field missions should include a substantive section on sanctions in their regular reports, where applicable and feasible. 55. DPA and DPKO should undertake a study on sanctions monitoring performed by peacekeeping missions with the aim of extracting best practices. 56. The Security Council should ensure that mandates of SRSGs, as heads of UN missions in countries to which sanctions apply, include the requirement to assist with sanctions. 57. The Security Council and DPKO should consider establishing sanctions monitoring units in appropriate UN missions and operations (similar to the integrated embargo unit within the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire).