UN-Scripted

The coronavirus pandemic could change dynamics in the global political landscape that seemed unchangeable only last month. Will sanctions regimes be one of its victims? Many parties in the international community are debating whether to loosen sanctions in certain countries to help them fight the pandemic, but critics say that bad actors are using the pandemic as political opportunism to lift sanctions. On today's show, we welcome two experts: Hilal Elver, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food who is currently quarantined in the seaside Turkish town of Bodrum, and Loraine Rickard-Martin, a UN consultant specializing in international sanctions and a co-author of "The Evolution of UN Sanctions." Editor's note: we asked Ukrainian Permanent Representative Sergiy Kyslytsya on the show to discuss his letter to the UN secretary-general criticizing the Russian-led coalition at the UN calling for loosening sanctions. He did not follow up on many requests for comment. Links: PassBlue's live coverage of th