The morality of the U.N. Security Council sanctions against Eritrea: defensibility, political objectives, and consequences

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Periodical article

Title:	The morality of the U.N. Security Council sanctions against Eritrea: defensibility, political objectives, and consequences
Author:	Bereketeab, Redie
Year:	2013
Periodical:	African Studies Review (ISSN 1555-2462)
Volume:	56
Issue:	2
Pages:	145-161
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Eritrea Djibouti
Subjects:	sanctions UN Security Council
External link:	https://doi.org/10.1017/asr.2013.46
Abstract:	On December 23, 2009, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed a resolution (Resolution 1709) imposing sanctions on Eritrea and calling for a weapons embargo, a freezing of assets, and a travel ban on civilian and military leaders. This article examines the sanctions imposed on Eritrea, which are based on the country's alleged involvement in Somalia and its border dispute with Djibouti. The initiative to invoke the sanctions emanated from the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The author argues that the UN's failure to sanction the parties for reneging on their commitment to implement the Permanent Court of Arbitration's verdict on the border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia casts doubt on the morality of the sanctions. It also argues that the decision may have been driven by political motives. These sanctions will hurt the people of Eritrea and the Eritrean nation, and there is a real risk that the outcome of the sanctions could be the collapse of the Eritrean State. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract]