Some 90 Graduate Institute alumni and friends attended the reception, hosted by Ambassador Martin Dahinden, at the Swiss Embassy on 3 April 2019. Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology, Grégoire Mallard, spoke on behalf of Institute Director Philippe Burrin and a reception followed at the Ambassador’s residence. The evening commenced with welcoming remarks by Corinne Deléchat, Institute alumni chapter steering committee member and Division Chief in the African department of the International Monetary Fund. Ms Deléchat highlighted that the Washington, D.C. Chapter’s Scholarship Programme was in its 10th year last year, reaching the highest number of contributors (40) so far. The main event featured a presentation about trade in vital goods in the context of international sanctions, with particular focus on the case of Iran. 

Since the early 2000s, most sanctioning authorities have adopted “targeted sanctions” to avoid repeating the disastrous humanitarian consequences of the “comprehensive sanctions” of the 1990s. But paradoxically, the international trade of vital goods (food and medicine) now sits in a perilous situation, owing to the zero-risk approach and over-compliance of the global banking sector with US sanctions. After a decade of US judicial proceedings against global banks for US sanctions violations, global banks stay away from sanctioned jurisdictions, even if US licensing authorities provide “humanitarian exemptions” that should allow exporters of vital goods to sell their products in jurisdictions under sanctions. Taking the example of the international trade of vital goods in Iran, the presentation discussed various solutions recently promoted by European states to solve the payment problems that exporters of vital goods to Iran face. In so doing, it highlighted key transformations that have taken place in how global governance works in the field of sanctions. The presentation was followed with lively discussions between the audience and Professor Mallard.

The evening concluded at the Ambassador’s residence, where Graduate Institute alumni mingled with Ambassador Dahinden; Simon Marti, Head of Science, Technology and Higher Education at the Embassy; Tracy Dove, Scientific Advisor; Professor Mallard and Embassy staff to enjoy very fine Swiss culinary delicacies.  A warm thanks to the Swiss Embassy for its continued support and hospitality! 

Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Switzerland in the United States of America.