UN Human Rights Council 63: UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on unilateral coercive measures
UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on unilateral coercive measures. Not delivered due to time constraints.
Mr Vice-President,
The United Kingdom thanks the Special Rapporteur for her vision-mapping report.
We welcome its emphasis on evidence-based analysis and on understanding the differentiated impacts that restrictive measures can have in practice. The report highlights important concerns, particularly where overcompliance, de-risking and uncertainty among private actors can impede humanitarian activity or access to essential services.
The report demonstrates why a more nuanced discussion is needed. Not all measures are the same, nor should their impacts be assessed as though they are.
The United Kingdom has long recognised the importance of addressing unintended humanitarian consequences. We support practical efforts to reduce overcompliance and improve humanitarian access.
Our autonomous sanctions are carefully targeted, grounded in law, subject to due process protections, and accompanied by exceptions and licensing provisions, including for humanitarian assistance. We do not target essential food or medicine.
We therefore reject any characterisation of UK sanctions as so-called unilateral coercive measures.
Targeted sanctions, applied consistently with international law, remain an important tool for promoting accountability, responding to human rights abuses and defending international norms.
Special Rapporteur, how will your mandate distinguish between broad economic measures and modern, targeted sanctions with robust humanitarian safeguards and due process protections?