United Nations Security Council Sanctions
What are UN Security Council sanctions?
In situations where the UN Security Council has determined the existence of a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or an act of aggression, the Charter of the United Nations (the Charter) authorises it to decide on measures to be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security (Charter Article 39).
Members of the United Nations are legally bound to accept and carry out these measures (Charter Article 25).
Those measures that do not involve the use of armed force are known as “sanctions”.
The Charter itself lists, as examples of the kinds of measures to be imposed as sanctions, the complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations (Charter Article 41).
Queries on sanctions
In the first instance, queries on the application of sanctions maintained by the Australian Government should be directed by email or fax to:
Director
Sanctions and Transnational Crime
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Email: sanctions@dfat.gov.au
Facsimile: 61-2-6261 2144
What are sanctions?
Sanctions are punitive or coercive measures against a state or its nationals. Australia has in place two types of sanctions regimes: UN Security Council sanctions and bilateral sanctions.
UN Security Council Sanctions
Article 41 of the UN Charter allows the Security Council to impose sanctions against nations which pose a threat to international peace and security. As a UN member state, Australia is obliged to implement UN Security Council sanctions domestically.
UN Security Council sanctions regimes can include arms embargoes, travel sanction, financial restrictions, civil aviation restrictions and import/export bans of certain commodities. Sanctions may also include down-grading or suspension of diplomatic ties.
Each UN Security Council sanctions regime is overseen by a Security Council Sanctions Committee. These committees report on compliance with sanctions regimes, compile a list of individuals of concern who will be subject to travel and/or financial sanctions and perform any other duties assigned to them by the Security Council.
(More information on Security Council sanction committees)
Bilateral sanctions
Australia imposes sanctions on certain countries and individuals to support our foreign policy objectives. Australia currently has in place targeted sanctions regimes against Zimbabwe, the former Yugoslavia and North Korea.
As with UN Security Council Sanctions, bilateral sanctions regimes can include arms embargoes, travel sanctions, financial sanctions, civil aviation restrictions and import/export bans of certain commodities. They can also include a down-grading or suspension of diplomatic and cultural ties.
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