International sanctions are not merely financial or economic measures, but they are one of the most important tools of foreign policy and international relations. Countries and international organizations resort to imposing them with the aim of changing the behavior of a state, entity, or individuals without resorting to military force. The world has witnessed extensive use of sanctions over the past decades against countries, organizations, and individuals in issues related to armed conflicts, human rights violations, nuclear programs, financing of terrorism, and the proliferation of armaments.
However, practical experience reveals that the success of sanctions does not depend solely on the existence of a legal basis or an international decision, but is largely linked to the political will of influential countries and international power balances. Here lies the fundamental problem that His Majesty the King pointed out, represented by the gap between legal texts and practical reality; some international decisions seem to be immediately executable in certain cases, while other decisions face a state of stagnation or obstruction despite being issued by the same international institutions.
From the perspective of compliance and financial sanctions, the credibility of the international system depends on a fundamental principle: consistency in application. The wider the gap between decisions and implementation, the less confidence there is in the effectiveness of international tools and their ability to achieve deterrence or enforce compliance with international law. Moreover, selectivity in application raises questions about the fairness of the international system and the independence of decisions from political and geopolitical calculations.
The real challenge today does not lie in the absence of tools, as the world already possesses an integrated system of sanctions and restrictive measures. Rather, it lies in the readiness to use these tools consistently and fairly towards all parties without exception. International law loses part of its strength when it is perceived as being strictly applied in some cases and flexibly in others.
In light of the successive crises the world is witnessing, the need remains urgent to enhance the credibility of the international system by linking decisions to actual implementation and subjecting all countries and stakeholders to the same standards. The focus is not on the number of decisions issued or the severity of the announced sanctions, but on the ability of the international community to transform these decisions from written texts into tangible actions that achieve justice and preserve international peace and security.
