Best Practices Guide

for Chairs and Members of United Nations Sanctions Committees

The Best Practices Guide was developed over two years of consultations with the representatives of many UN Member States, the African Union and the European Union, delegations to the Human Rights Council, officials of the UN secretariat, over 60 sanctions monitoring experts, numerous non-government organiations and humanitarian aid provders, as well as compliance professionals of companies around the world.

The governments of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, in collaboration with many other interested states and stakeholders, and assisted by Compliance and Capacity Skills International (CCSI) intend the Guide to contribute to a more effective UN sanctions system in achieving a more peaceful and secure world. The Guide will assist newly elected Chairs, E10 delegations and sanctions monitoring experts in preparing for their mandates, and will also enable the fuller and more effective participation of all stakeholders in the UN sanctions system.

The views of these stakeholders were aggregated into four sections, covering:

  • The elemental structure, legal basis and functioning of the UN sanctions system and its actors
  • Role of the Chair and Sanctions Committee practices
  • The types of sanctions measures currently in effect, their implementation and related monitoring procedures
  • The following significant new implementation concerns:
    • the streamlining of due process across all UN sanctions implementation practices
    • information and guidance requirements of the global private sector
    • enhancement of the UN sanctions system's protection of gender rights
    • safeguarding of humanitarian activity in the design and implementation of UN sanctions
    • the exacerbating effects of cyber threats on the implementation of UN sanctions