The world urgently needs a plan for #Syria #sanctions relief. The country is one of the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world. Leaving severe #sanctions in place will be like pulling the rug out from under Syria just as it tries to stand. 🧵
1/nbcnews.com/news/world/liv… Untangling the vast web of Syria sanctions is a daunting task. The Syrian government, major sectors of the Syrian economy, and hundreds of Syrians individuals and groups are on sanctions lists. Syria has been under sanctions since the 1970s. 2/

.@PMvandeWalle and I went to #DRCongo to understand how U.S. sanctions affect peace there. We went as part of @CrisisGroup’s ongoing research on sanctions in conflicts around the world. Takeaways from our trip, a 🧵. /1 There are many sanctions in the DRC, on many kinds of people, for many alleged offences. The U.S. imposes some unilaterally, while others are joint efforts by the U.S. and EU, or the UNSC. All are broadly designed to promote peace and security. /2

I spent two weeks in #Colombia with @dickinsonbeth studying how US #sanctions have affected peace in that country as part of @CrisisGroup’s research on US #sanctions in conflicts around the world. Some observations from my trip, a 🧵1/ In 2016, a 52-year insurgency ended when the FARC and the Colombian state signed a historic #peace deal. While the FARC formally dissolved and laid down arms, the group remained designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) until 30 November 2021 2/
crisisgroup.org/latin-america-…