logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
22m 31s

Do economic sanctions really work?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The phrase ‘sanctions have been imposed’ frequently features when countries are at the centre of a big news story. Recently we’ve mentioned that some of Niger’s neighbours brought in sanctions after the military takeover. And the warring parties in Sudan have faced sanctions from the UK since the conflict started there. They are seen by some countries as a way of leveraging their influence to get a preferred outcome. But, what exactly are sanctions? How are they supposed to work? And do they actually have any impact?

#AfricaDaily

Up next
Oct 2025
Tanzanian elections: What issues are young people concerned about?
As Tanzania gears up for elections on 29 October, we hear from two young people about the issues that matter to them and whether youth concerns have been featured in the electoral campaigns.How a young Senegalese footballer's dream of joining a professional club ended in tragedy ... Show More
33m 44s
Oct 2025
Focus on Africa: Hundreds of stolen social media identities used to spread propaganda
A BBC investigation uncovers dozens of social accounts using stolen identities of Somali and Muslim influencers and posting political propaganda content. We hear more about what was uncovered and who might be behind this widespread operation.Chad’s parliament has overwhelmingly a ... Show More
32m 11s
Oct 2025
Focus on Africa Can DRC be declared ebola free?
The last ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been released from a treatment centre in Kasai province. Can the country now be declared free of this latest outbreak?What is behind the escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea over control of the Red Sea ... Show More
29m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
What are Sanctions?
<p>You've heard of sanctions before -- the term pops up pretty often in international news. Country A does something Country B finds objectionable, but neither country wants to be embroiled in a full-scale hot war, so they have to find some other way to change their opponent's be ... Show More
1h 2m
Sep 2022
Six months of Russian sanctions: the real impact
<p>Since Russia invaded Ukraine, a wide range of sanctions has been imposed by western countries. Sanctions are penalties imposed by one country on another, to stop it acting aggressively, or breaking international law.    </p> <p>We’re joined by David Uren - an economic analyst ... Show More
21m 57s
Feb 2022
Are Economic Sanctions an Effective Deterrent to War?
With tensions mounting, the United States and Western allies are pursuing every option to deter Russia from invading Ukraine. Economic sanctions are seen as a primary tool in the foreign policy toolkit, but the question remains whether sanctions are costly enough to deter a furth ... Show More
17m 57s
Mar 2022
How Do Sanctions Work?
To punish foreign governments without using weaponry, the U.S. often turns to sanctions. Learn more, plus a bit about sanctions against Russia, is this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/sanctions.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at ... Show More
8m 12s
Mar 2022
How Europe Came Around on Sanctions
<p>As Russian forces bombard Ukraine’s cities and strike civilian areas with increasingly powerful weapons, the European Union has adopted the largest package of sanctions ever imposed on a single country.</p><p>The 27-nation bloc overcame a reputation for internal division to ag ... Show More
30m 3s
Sep 2024
How sanctions backfire
American sanctions can destroy a country’s economy. The unintended consequences are massive in places like Venezuela and Syria. Jeff Stein of the Washington Post explains why the US is so committed to a mistake. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sad ... Show More
25m 36s
Jul 2022
How the US learned to love sanctions
The US hoped sanctions would end Russia’s war in Ukraine quickly. We revisit our conversation with historian Nicholas Mulder who explains the surprising history of economic penalties as a weapon of war. This episode was produced by Amina Al-Sadi, edited by Matt Collette and Sean ... Show More
26m 5s