In an "Expert Take" interview, Thomas Biersteker, a leading authority on United Nations sanctions, explains what Security Council sanctions are, how they’re adopted, and why they matter for global peace and security.
When headlines report that the UN Security Council has “imposed sanctions,” it refers to restrictive measures authorized under Chapter VII of the UN Charter to maintain international peace.
Although the term “sanctions” isn’t in the Charter, Article 41 empowers the Council to take non-military measures such as economic bans or diplomatic restrictions, and once adopted, these measures are mandatory for all Member States.
Sanctions serve multiple purposes: they aim to change the behavior of a state, group, or individual, deter prohibited actions, and signal international norms.
Mr. Biersteker emphasizes that sanctions are rarely used in isolation; they are typically paired with diplomacy, mediation, negotiation, peace operations, and even the threat of force as part of broader policy strategies.
To take effect, sanctions must be approved by at least nine of the 15 Security Council members, with none of the five permanent members using their veto.
While the United States, United Kingdom, and France have historically drafted most sanctions resolutions, a broader group of countries, including elected members, now participates in writing them. Sanctions are often applied to resolve conflicts, support ceasefires and peace talks, and reinforce peacebuilding, and have also been used against terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and coups.
Historically, UN sanctions were rare before the 1990s. Since then, the Council has created more than two dozen sanctions regimes.
UN sanctions come in various forms, including travel bans, asset freezes, arms embargoes, and financial-sector controls, each tailored to specific objectives.
To help practitioners navigate these tools, Biersteker and a team of more than 50 scholars developed the UN Sanctions App, a free mobile and web resource that turns detailed case studies and data on all UN targeted sanctions since 1991 into an interactive, evidence-based guide to sanctions types, purposes, impacts, and effectiveness.
Read the full interview on the UN website.
