Virtual Roundtable: U.S. Sanctions Policy and COVID-19

On Friday, April 17, 2020, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) hosted a virtual, public roundtable on U.S. sanctions policy. Many primary targets of U.S. coercive economic measures, like Iran, Venezuela, and likely North Korea, have been hard-hit by COVID-19. While sanctions exemptions permit the export of food and many kinds of medicines and medical devices to these places, a growing number of U.S. and international policy leaders are debating the scope of these humanitarian exemptions and the advisability of strategies to clarify, loosen, or tighten, sanctions during a public health and economic crisis. This event will discuss the politics and practice of humanitarian exemptions to U.S. sanctions, and how U.S. sanctions may be deployed going forward as global economies feel the worsening effects of the pandemic.

The event featured remarks from:

• Andrea Gacki, Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury
• John Smith, Partner and Co-Head, National Security Practice, Morrison & Foerster LLP; Former Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury
• Juan Zarate, Chairman, Center on Economic & Financial Power, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Chairman and Co-Founder, Financial Integrity Network

CNAS' top priority is the health and safety of its employees and guests. In light of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) response, this event was virtual and streamed live at cnas.org/live.

Watch: