The Sanctions Program SPITS

Welcome to the website of the Special Program on the International Targeted Sanctions (SPITS). 

Sanctions research has long been associated with the Department of Peace and Conflict Research (for History click here).

SPITS was initiated as the "Stockholm Process" by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs together with the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University in November 2001. The Stockholm Report ("Making Targeted Sanctions Effective") was delivered to the Security Council on February 25, 2003. 

The work has since then continued by

(a) Deepening academic research on targeted sanctions, in systematic studies

(b) Contributing to policy making in the sanctions field, by producing reports based on research, and

(c) Keeping a website continuously updated on development on sanctions issues in the United Nations. 

SPITS conducts studies

  • On particular sanctions situations: Notably Iraq, Burma/Myanmar, Western Africa and Angola.
  • On particular types of sanctions: notably arms trade and individual sanctions (forthcoming, Global Governance, May 2012).
  • On particular senders of sanctions: notably EU and comparisons of EU and the UN.
  • On sanctions in peacebuilding situations, where also positive sanctions become a concern. Applications have recently been submitted to Sida and USAID on this score.

SPITS researchers participate in major international efforts on sanctions research, in particular the Targeted Sanctions Consortium directed by the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

 

 

 

Recent resolutions by the UNSC

Libya

12 March 2012 –With Resolution 2040 the Security Council decides to terminate the authorization granted in resolution 1973 (2011) to Member States to use all measures needed to thespecific circumstances, at the same time pointing at the importanceof the full implementation of the arms embargo. The Security Council decides to lift the sanctions imposed on the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) and the Libyan Africa Investment Portfolio (LAIP) to ensure the assets are made available to and for the benefit of the people of Libya.The sanctions measures currently in effect are:an arms embargo, a travel ban andan assets freeze. The mandate of the Panel of Experts is modified and extended one year.

On 16 September 2011, the Security Council adopted resolution 2009 by which it eased, or lifted, some of the measures, for instance on arms intended solely for security or disarmament assistance to the Libyan authorities and small arms temporarily exported to Libya for the use of UN personnel and assets freeze on the Libyan National Oil Corporation and the Central Bank of Libya (LAFB). The council also decided to lift the ban of Libyan aircraft. 

Recent Sanctions-related UN Resolutions in Libya

More UN Sanctions