Compliance With International Sanctions

Compliance With International Sanctions

Dates

1 Week: Sept 18 - 22, 2025

2 Weeks: Sept 18 - 29, 2025

1 Week: Oct 27 - 31, 2025  

2 Weeks: Oct 27 - Nov 7, 2025

Location

• Cape Town                             
• Johannesburg

Format

 In-Person/Online

Tuition (In Person)

1 Week

$999 pp individual                      

$800 pp for groups of 5+

2 Weeks

$1,500 pp individual                    

$1,150 pp for groups of 5+

Tuition (Online)

1 Week

$600 pp individual                      

$400 pp for groups of 5+

2 Weeks

$800 pp individual                        

$500 pp for groups of 5+

Course Overview

Sanctions have become the foreign policy tool of choice for governments and international organizations seeking to establish and maintain norms of business practice and compliance in the face of some of the world's most pressing political and security challenges. This course provides participants with the opportunity to examine the design, utility and consequences of sanctions in a global context.

In the contemporary international system, sanctions sit somewhere between conflict and conversation. This course will examine the impact and effectiveness of sanctions as well as the complex interplay between overlapping sanctions regimes. This course will center Global South perspectives on sanctions and hear from sanctions experts from Africa and Asia while also drawing on perspectives from international law and other disciplines.

Much time and attention will be paid to compliance measures as well as the unintended consequences of sanctions, particularly from a humanitarian perspective, especially in light of financial sector risk-taking and the chilling effect observed among humanitarian organizations and medical and food companies operating in a more complex global compliance environment.

Through lectures, group discussions, course assignments and activities and case studies developed by sanctions practitioners participants will develop competency in this highly topical, multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral field. Students will also be given the opportunity to develop skills in writing for diverse audiences in the form of think-tank style policy briefings.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to explain, evaluate and analyze existing and potential compliance measures, why sanctions are used in today's world, how they might be used for optimal impact, and key legal, ethical and practical considerations at play in developing and complying with international sanctions policy.

1 Week Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to International Sanctions

• Overview of Sanctions
• What are sanctions, and why are they implemented?
• Types of sanctions: economic, financial, trade, and travel bans
• Key Sanctioning Bodies
• United Nations, European Union, OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control), and others
• Differences in sanction regimes and enforcement

Day 2: Legal Frameworks and Compliance Basics

• Understanding Legal Obligations
• National and international laws governing sanctions
• Penalties for non-compliance
• Risk Identification and Management
• Identifying high-risk jurisdictions, sectors, and transactions
• Due diligence best practices

Day 3: Tools and Techniques for Compliance

• Screening and Monitoring
• Use of sanctions screening tools
• Monitoring financial transactions and trade
• Reporting and Record-Keeping
• Requirements for reporting suspicious activities
• Best practices for documentation and audits

Day 4: Case Studies and Practical Challenges

• Sanctions Evasion Tactics
• Common methods used to evade sanctions
• How to detect and address them
• Case Studies
• Analysis of real-world sanctions violations
• Lessons learned and practical insights

Day 5: Building a Robust Compliance Program

• Designing a Compliance Program
• Key elements: policies, training, and accountability
• Role of compliance officers and leadership
• Wrap-Up and Assessment
• Mock compliance review exercise
• Feedback and certification

2 Week Course Outline

Week 1

Day 1: Introduction to Sanctions

• Purpose and types of sanctions
• Historical development and global trends

Day 2: Key Regulatory Frameworks

• UN, EU, and OFAC sanctions
• Differences in enforcement across jurisdictions

Day 3: Legal and Ethical Considerations

• Balancing compliance with business interests
• Ethical dilemmas in sanctions compliance

Day 4: Sanctions Screening and Monitoring Tools

• Technologies and systems for sanctions screening
• Case management systems and automated alerts

Day 5: Sector-Specific Sanctions

• Energy, banking, technology, and defense industries
• Special considerations for humanitarian exemptions

Week 2

Day 6: Risk Management and Due Diligence

• Identifying and mitigating sanctions risks
• Enhanced due diligence for high-risk entities

Day 7: Sanctions Evasion and Enforcement Trends

• Common evasion tactics and how to counter them
• Recent enforcement actions and their implications

Day 8: Building Organizational Capacity

• Training programs for employees and management
• Role of external advisors and legal counsel

Day 9: Crisis Management and Reporting

• Responding to violations or investigations
• Voluntary disclosures and cooperation

Day 10: Workshop and Final Assessment

• Group Exercise: developing a sanctions compliance framework
• Presentation of findings and final feedback
• Certification ceremony

Both outlines ensure participants gain a thorough understanding of international sanctions and how to implement effective compliance strategies. The 10-day course includes more in-depth discussions, practical exercises, and workshops for a deeper dive into the subject matter