8
Compendium: High Level Review of United Nations Sanctions
IAWG. Working Group I consulted with key stakeholders of UN sanctions
regimes through requests for written submissions and a series of thematic
workshops held in New York from July through October 2014. All members
of the working group were invited to participate in the thematic workshops.
In total, 57 States not members of the working group were invited to make
written submissions and participate in the workshops; of these, 32 participated over a series of five workshops and/or provided written submissions.
In addition, workshops were held with UN stakeholders including
Chairs of Security Council sanctions committees; coordinators of Security
Council expert groups; the Ombudsperson and the Focal Point for Delisting; the Secretariat; and technical assistance providers. Participants discussed
their engagement with the existing sanctions system (sanctions committees,
expert groups, and the Secretariat that supports both), and shared their views
on how well the sanctions themselves, and the system, coordinated with and
complemented other elements of the UN’s response to the situation, as well
as any relevant regional initiatives. Participants addressed ways to support
the effective implementation of sanctions on the ground, and how the UN
system might better assist Member States in carrying out their obligations
to implement sanctions.3
Working Group II
Working Group II, chaired by Sweden, focused on the interaction and integration across relevant departments of the UN Secretariat, and between
the UN and related external institutions, instruments, and mechanisms,
addressing sanctions issues, including the private sector. Working Group II
also sought to define capacity building opportunities and requirements of
these institutions, and to assist in closing gaps in the sanctions implementation chain. In particular, the group addressed the needs of those at the
national level implementing sanctions, i.e., national regulatory agencies and
economic operators.
Working Group II addressed interaction in three specific areas: international arms control, non-proliferation and export controls; financial controls; and international criminal justice. These three subfields represent different issue areas where various types of controls or actions decided by other
bodies operate simultaneously with UN sanctions.
3
During its Presidency of the Security Council in November 2014, Australia, in
its national capacity, sponsored a draft resolution for consideration by Security
Council members, based on some of the findings and recommendations of Working Group 1. The resolution was not put to a Council vote.