The Sanctions Program SPITS
Sanctions research has long been associated with the Department of Peace and Conflict Research. 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 Stockholm Report can be accessed in full via the online publication catalogue DiVA.
The work has since then continued by:
- Deepening academic research on targeted sanctions, in systematic studies
- Contributing to policy making in the sanctions field, by producing reports based on research, and
- Keeping a website continuously updated on development on sanctions issues in the United Nations.
Furthermore, SPITS conducts studies:
- On particular sanctions situations: Notably Iraq Pdf, 912 kB., Burma/Myanmar Pdf, 75 kB., Western Africa Pdf, 535 kB. and Angola Pdf, 236 kB..
- On particular types of sanctions: notably arms trade and individual sanctions. The report "United Nations Arms Embargoes: Their Impact on Arms Flows and Target Behaviour" can be accessed in full via the online publication catalogue DiVA.
- 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.
The Stockholm Process
The Stockholm Process contains different types of international meetings. The Swedish Government Offices have assigned Uppsala University and its Department of Peace and Conflict Research to lead the scientific and practical work. The Stockholm Process has achieved a broad global participation.
The SPITS Sanctions List
SPITS works specifically on sanctions that have been used by the UN Security Council according to Chapter VI and Chapter VII of the UN Charter. This website lists all ongoing and terminated sanctions that have been instituted through such decisions. The list is organised according to the targeted country.
Recent resolutions by the UNSC
Afghanistan
14 December 2023 – With Resolution 2716 the Security Council decides that all states shall continue to freeze assets, ban travel and prevent supply of arms for the Taliban and individuals associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan as designated by the Committee in the 1988 Sanction List (”the List”).
The mandate of the Monitoring Team is extended for a period of 12 months from the current mandate that expires in December 2023.
Somalia
1 December 2023 – With Resolution 2711 the Security Council decides that all states should take necessary measures to prevent Al-Shabaab, and other actors undermining peace and security in Somalia and the region, from obtaining weapons and ammunition by preventing all deliveries of weapons and military equipment to Somalia. The measures do not apply to deliveries or supplies to the Somali Government, national army, intelligence and security agency, national police force or custodial corps.
The arms embargo set out in resolution 2182 (2014) and expanded to cover IED components with resolution 2607 (2021) is renewed until 15 December 2024. The mandate of the Panel of Experts is renewed until 15 January 2025.
Current sanctions
SPITS works specifically on sanctions that have been used by the UN Security Council according to Chapter VI and Chapter VII of the UN Charter. This website lists all ongoing and terminated sanctions that have been instituted through such decisions. The list includes all sanctions since the start of the UN and is regularly updated.
Collaboration
The program collaborates with the Sanctions and Security Research Program which is a project of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and also with the UN Targeted Sanctions Consortium, based at The Graduate Institute, Geneva and the Watson Institute at Brown University.
Read more about SPITS
This website is a part of the project The Stockholm Process on the Implementation of Targeted Sanctions, a joint project between the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Uppsala University. The site was launched in April 2002.