UN Sanctions: Policy options for Canada

Abstract

This article examines the sanctions debate in the context of recent experience in Iraq, Haiti and to a lesser extent South Africa. The purpose of the article is to locate this debate in a way that provides policymakers with concrete suggestions for improving the effectiveness of sanctions and mitigating their humanitarian impact. It also provides a realistic appraisal of the limitations of sanctions and the relative merits of other instruments of statecraft, including positive inducements, constructive engagements and the threat and use of force. Finally, the article demonstrates how Canada can use its unique diplomatic resources to encourage efforts to reform the perception and practice of UN sanctions, even in a political climate that appears resistant to such innovations.