New Sentry report details Impact of Sanctions in Sub-Saharan Africa

A new report that examines the effectiveness of sanctions is proposing improved regional collaboration and enforcement of ‘network sanctions’ as opposed to individual restrictions, to effectively address threats to regional and international stability. 

 

The report compiled by ‘The SENTRY,’ a US-based non-profit investigative team, examines the broad impact of sanctions levied by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations on seven African countries, including South Sudan.  

 

The SENTRY investigation lists 25 active sanctions programs in 11 African countries, against hundreds of individuals, entities, and companies. 

 

It focuses its analysis on seven countries namely; South Sudan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Burundi and Liberia.

 

In addition to analyzing the sanctions strategies and behavior changes in the seven countries profiled in the report, The Sentry spoke to dozens of current and former U.S. and foreign government officials, sanctions experts, bankers, civil society representatives, regional organizations, and individuals from African countries affected by the restrictions to solicit their views and experiences. 

 

The interviews yielded a resounding message for better strategies for achieving identified goals in each sanctions program, more coordination between governments and regional organizations both during and after the deployment of sanctions, and the implementation and enforcement of sanctions regionally and around the world. 

 

The experts all agreed that network sanctions targeting the groups responsible for threats to peace and security were more effective than comprehensive sanctions applied broadly against an entire country. 

 

The SENTRY’s Director for policy and analysis, Joshua White spoke to Radio Miraya in this interview.