Dr Erica Moret is an expert on sanctions and humanitarian affairs. She is Senior Researcher at the Global Governance Centre and the Centre for Humanitarian Studies at the Graduate Institute and coordinates the Geneva International Sanctions Network (GISN). She is Associate Editor of the Journal of Global Security Studies and Visiting Professor at Sciences-Po’s Paris School of International Affairs. She serves as an independent expert on sanctions and humanitarian affairs for the UN, EU and humanitarian organisations and has provided advice to the Biden Administration and both UK Houses of Parliament on sanctions-related matters.
For media requests, please contact : erica.moret@graduateinstitute.ch
Senior Researcher at the Centre for Humanitarian Studies (UNIGE/ Graduate Institute)
Associate Editor at the Journal for Global Security Studies
Coordinator of the Geneva International Sanctions Network (contact Dr. Moret for further details) - Find here the list of GISN past events
Visiting Lecturer at the Department of International Relations/ Political Science at the Graduate Institute & at Science-Po’s School of International Affairs (PSIG)
Independent advisor to the UN (including OHCHR, UNICEF, ESCWA), EU and governments.
Member of the UN Targeted Sanctions Project Research Team
Member of the EU Non-Proliferation Consortium
Latest Projects:
Coordinator of EU DG ECHO-Swiss funded multi-stakeholder dialogues on de-risking as part of the “Presence, Proximity Protection Project” with NRC, Geneva Call, HI, ACF & MDM (covering protected humanitarian banking channels; digital innovations in the remittance market to aid financial inclusion; common stances among donors on the need to use hawala in humanitarian financing, political mechanisms to support humanitarian trade in financially excluded sanctioned countries and creation of a monitoring tool for humanitarian actors to capture sanctions’ impacts on their work)
Coordinator of UNDP study into impacts of private sector challenges on supply chains of food and related goods to Afghanistan
Principal investigator: commissioned by the Norwegian Refugee Council, running a major study on humanitarian financing channels to Afghanistan (2021/2022).
Principal investigator, with T. Biersteker, Z. Hudakova and NRC, with GSPI funding, to update the UNSanctionsApp with a humanitarian section (2021/2022).
Project Coordinator of the Swiss Network of International Studies (SNIS)-funded project entitled “When Money Can’t Buy Food and Medicine: Banking Challenges in the International Trade of Vital Goods and their Humanitarian Impact in Sanctioned Jurisdictions"
Principle Investigator on UN-funded research project “Political Economy of Syrian Remittances"
Senior Researcher on the European Research Council (ERC) Project “Bombs, Banks and Sanctions”, responsible for planning Special Issue in a leading International Relations journal on the topic of sanctions, COVID-19, humanitarian access and international law.
Completed Projects as Principle Investigator
What Future for European Union Sanctions
Project lead on sanctions assessing efficacy of EU sanctions on Russia impacts of the measures on EU and US economies
Selected publications:
Moret, Erica (2023) "Effectiveness of Humanitarian Exceptions to Sanctions: Lessons from the Syria Earthquake”, Carter Center, 11 July.
Moret, Erica (2023) “Use of Money or Value Transfer Services by Non-Governmental Organisations”, Norwegian Refugee Council, January, Dialogue Series on Solutions to Bank Derisking, June.
Moret, Erica (2023) “Safeguarding Humanitarian Banking Channels: How, Why and by Whom?", Norwegian Refugee Council, January, Dialogue Series on Solutions to Bank Derisking, January.
Moret. Erica (2023) 'Barriers to Afghanistan's critical private sector recovery', Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Olso.
Moret, Erica (2022) "Options for a Peace Settlement for Ukraine: Option Paper XVII – Sanctions Relief and Security Guarantees in the Ukraine Conflict”, Opinio Juris, 5 November.
Moret, Erica (2022) "Sanctions relief and security guarantees in the Ukraine conflict”, Ukraine Options Paper, Cambridge Initiative on Peace Settlements, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, University of Cambridge, 5 November.
Moret, Erica (2022) "A New Page in Global Sanctions Practice: The Russian Case”, The Weaponisation of Economics, Global Challenges, Article 3, Issue number 11, November.
Moret, Erica (2022) ‘More Civilian Pain than Political Gain (Again?): The Demise of Targeted Sanctions and Associated Humanitarian Impacts’, in Andrea Charron and Clara Portela (eds) Multilateral Sanctions Revisited: Lessons Learned from Margaret Doxey, McGill Queen's University Press, Kingston.
Moret, Erica (2022) “A lifeline under threat? Syrian household remittances in light of sanctions, de-risking, the COVID-19 pandemic & regional developments”, UN-ESCWA, National Agenda for the Future of Syria (NAFS) Phase II.
Cardwell, Paul James & Moret, Erica (2022) “The EU, Sanctions and Regional Leadership”, European Security, June.
Moret, Erica (2022) ‘What is the Role of Financial Sanctions in Tackling Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking?’, Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking Initiative (FAST), United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR),
Moret, Erica (2022), “Sanctions and the Costs of Russia’s War in Ukraine”, International Peace Institute, 12 May.
Pelter, Zoë, Teixeira, Camila & Moret, Erica (2022) Sanctions and their Impact on Children, UNICEF, February.
Moret, Erica (2022) "Life and Death: NGO access to financial services in Afghanistan", Norwegian Refugee Council, January,
Batmanghelidj, Esfandyar & Moret, Erica (2022) "The Hidden Toll of Sanctions:Why Washington Must Reckon With the Devastating Inflation Its Policies Cause”, Foreign Affairs, January 17,
Erica Moret (2021) "When should the United States use hard-hitting sectoral and financial sanctions?", The Global, 5 November
Erica Moret (2021) “The role of sanctions in Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis”, International Peace Institute, 14 October
Zuzana Hudáková, Thomas Biersteker and Erica Moret (2021) “Sanctions relaxation and conflict resolution: Lessons from past sanctions regimes”, Carter Center, October
Grégoire Mallard, Jin Sun and Erica Moret (2021), “Le souci des populations sous sanctions : Un défi pour la gouvernance de la santé mondiale à l’ère du coronavirus”, Savoir Agir, 15 October
Erica Moret & Karl Blanchet (2021) “Sanctions on Afghanistan: Why less is more”, the New Humanitarian, 30 September
Karl Blanchet, Grégoire Mallard, Erica Moret, Jin Sun. (2021) "Sanctioned countries in the global COVID-19 vaccination campaign: the forgotten 70%". Conflict and Health 15, 69. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-021-00404-2
Moret, Erica (2021). "Time to act: harmonizing global initiatives and technology-based innovations addressing de-risking at the interfacing sanctions-counterterrorism-humanitarian nexus", International sanctions: improving implementation through better interface management. - Berlin : Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, 2021. - P. 74-82
Moret, Erica (2021). "Part I, Chapter II: Unilateral and extraterritorial sanctions in crisis: implications of their rising use and misuse in contemporary world politics". Research Handbook on Unilateral and Extraterritorial Sanctions. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Portela, Clara & Moret, Erica (2020) “The EU’s Chemical Weapons Sanctions Regime: Upholding a Taboo under Attack” (EUISS Brief, 31 July). https://www.iss.europa.eu/content/eu’s-chemical-weapons-sanctions-regime
Dahler, Joseph & Moret, Erica (2020) “Invisible Sanctions: How over-compliance limits humanitarian work on Syria”, July, https://www.impact-csrd.org/invisible-sanctions/
Moret, Erica, Giumelli, Francesco, Van Horenbeeck, Maarten & Bozhkov, Nikolay (2019) “Chapter 1: Navigating the Stars: Ten Questions to Make Cyber Sanctions More Effective” in Pawlak, Patryk & Biersteker, Thomas (eds.) Guardian of the Galaxy: EU Cyber Sanctions and Norms in Cyberspace. EUISS, Chaillot Report, pp 13-20.
Moret, Erica, Giumelli, Francesco & Bozhkov, Nikolay “Chapter 3: Space Exploration: Mapping the EU’s Cyber Sanctions Regime” in Pawlak, Patryk & Biersteker, Thomas (eds.) Guardian of the Galaxy: EU Cyber Sanctions and Norms in Cyberspace. EUISS, Chaillot Report, pp 21-32.
Moret, Erica, Giumelli, Francesco & Van Horenbeeck, Maarten “Galactic Collision: Cyber Sanctions and Real-World Consequences” in Pawlak, Patryk & Biersteker, Thomas (eds.) Guardian of the Galaxy: EU Cyber Sanctions and Norms in Cyberspace. EUISS, Chaillot Report, pp 79-86.
Moret, Erica (2019) “Written Evidence, UK House of Commons, Global Britain: The future of UK sanctions policy inquiry”, 23 January.
Moret, E. & Pothier, F. (2018) "Sanctions After Brexit" Survival, Global politics and Strategy, 60:2, pp. 179-200.
Moret, E., Evidence provided to the UK House of Lords EU External Affairs Sub-Committee on post-Brexit sanctions policy and defence/ security cooperation with the EU, July 2017.
Moret, Erica & Pawlak, Patryk (2017) “The EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox: Towards a Cyber Sanctions Regime”. European Union Institute for Strategic Studies (EUISS)", Brief No. 24. 12 July.
Moret, Erica & Shagina Maria (2017) “The impact of EU-Russia tensions on the economy of the EU” in Kulesa, Lukasz, Timofeev, Ivan & Dobbs, Joseph (eds.), Damage assessment: EU-Russia relations in crisis, Chapter 2: 17-24, European Leadership Network, London.
Moret, Erica, Giumelli, Francesco & Bastiat-Jarosz, Dawid (2017) Sanctions on Russia: Impacts and Economic Costs on the United States. Programme for the Study of International Governance, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, 20 March: Russian Sanctions Report.
Moret, Erica, Biersteker, Thomas, Giumelli, Francesco, Portela, Clara, Veber, Maruša, Jarosz, Dawid & Bobocea, Cristian (2016). "The new deterrent? International sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis: Impacts, costs and further action". Programme for the Study of International Governance, Graduate Institute, Geneva. 12 October.
Moret, E (2016) “Effective minilateralism for the EU: what when and how”. European Union Institute for Security Studies Brief, No. 17. EUISS, Paris: June 03.
Moret, E. (2016) “Europe or the open sea? Brexit and European security”. European Council on Foreign Relations. Commentary, 21 April.
Moret, E. (2016) "What would Brexit mean for EU sanctions policy?". European Council on Foreign Relations. Commentary, 23 March.
Biersteker, T. & Moret, E. (2015) "Rising powers and reform of the practices of international security institutions" in Gaskarth, J. (ed.), Rising Powers, Global Governance and Global Ethics. Routledge, London: 57-73.
Moret, E.S. (2015) "Humanitarian Impacts of Economic Sanctions on Iran and Syria" in European Security. Vol 24. Issue 1.
Luengo-Cabrera, J. & Moret, E. (2015) "Sanctions Against Iran: The Role of Pivotal Rising Powers". European Union Institute for Security Studies Brief, No. 25. EUISS, Paris: July 10.
Moret, E. S. (2014) “United Nations Targeted Sanctions as a Tool of Conflict Prevention”. Proceedings of the 19th International Humanitarian Conference, Geneva.
Moret, E. S. (2012) "Hegemony, Identity and trans-Atlantic Modernity: Afro-Cuban Religion (Re)politicisation and (De)legitimisation in the post-Soviet Era". Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture. 27: 3: 333 – 350.
Moret, E. S. (2012) "Trans-Atlantic Diaspora Ethnobotany: Legacies of West African and Mediterranean Migration in Central Cuba". In Voeks, R. & Rashford, J. African Ethnobotany in the Americas. Springer.
Moret, E. S. (2008) "Afro-Cuban Religion, Ethnobotany and Healthcare in the Context of Global Political and Economic Change". Bulletin of Latin American Research. 27: 3: 333 – 350.
Moret, E. S. (2008) "A History of US Military Interventions and Invasions in Latin America since 1750" in Stearns, P. N. (ed) Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Modern World: 1750 to the Present. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Moret, E. S. (2008) "Piracy: Causes and Solutions" in Stearns, P. N. (ed) Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Modern World: 1750 to the Present. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Moret, E. S. (2008) "The Caribbean: An Introduction" in Stearns, P. N. (ed) Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Modern World: 1750 to the Present. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Moret, E. S. (2008) ‘Religious Syncretism’ in Stearns, P. N. (ed) Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Modern World: 1750 to the Present. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Mertl-Millhollen, A. S., Moret, E. S., Felantsoa, D., Rasamimanana, H., Blumenfeld-Jones, K. C., Jolly, A. (2003) "Ring-Tailed Lemur Home Ranges Correlate with Food Abundance and Nutritional Content at a Time of Environmental Stress" International Journal of Primatology, Volume 24, Issue 5, pp 969-985, October.
Media interviews and appearances
Appeared as part of a BBC Radio 4 documentary (37 mins) on sanctions called “The Cost of Economic War”, July 2022
Coverage of Afghanistan humanitarian financing report:
Quote - "L'économie russe plie mais ne rompt pas" - La Liberté - 09 August 2022.
Quote - "Ukraine: quatre scénarios pour une guerre qui s’enlise" - Le Temps.
Quote - "Wie helpt Afghanistan de winter door?" - Die Standard - 23 November 2021.
Voice of America interview “Is European Unity on Iran Nuclear Deal Starting to Crack?”, 16 January 2020.
Interview – « Les sanctions américaines contournées » - Le Temps - 27 May 2020.
Interview – « Les sanctions internationales atteignent rarement leur but » - Alternatives Economiques - hors-série n° 119.
Webinars
Panelist: Trapped in an age of economic coercion – How can the EU effectively navigate it?, European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR), 17 June 2021.
Panelist: Cyber Sanctions: Assessing Trends and Effectiveness, Stimson Center, 3 June 2021.
Panelist: European Law and Policies against Hybrid Threats, University College Cork, 20 May 2021.
Panel discussion: "Inadequate or Excessive? The use of Sanctions in Foreign Policy", Network 2020, 28 April 2021.
Panelist: Side event to the European Union Brussels V Conference on Syria, hosted by Amanacard, 26 March 2021.
Panelist: “Future of Iran Nuclear Deal under Biden Administration”, Institute for Peace and Diplomacy Panel, 18 December 2020.
Panelist: Opening lecture on cyber sanctions and EU diplomacy, Big Cyber Ideas Festival.
Panelist: How is covid-19 changing European economic sovereignty?, European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR), 3 June 2020.
Panelist: When borderless COVID-19 hits sanctioned nations, what gives?, Webinar organized by The Graduate Institute, 2 June 2020.
Selected presentations / task forces:
Taskforce member of RUSI Task Force on The Future of UK Sanctions.
Taskforce member of ECFR Task Force on the Future of European Sanctions.
Taskforce member of EUISS Task Force on Future of European Security.
Member of Carter Centre Roundtable on Syria Sanctions.
Member of UN Targeted Sanctions Project Research Team.
Member of EU Non-Proliferation Consortium.
Taskforce member on EU/ cyber security, European Union Institute of Security Studies, resulting in Chaillot publication late 2019.
Podcast discussion on differences in approaches to the Iranian nuclear crisis and the JCPOA, European Council on Foreign Relations, 27 September 2018: https://soundcloud.com/ecfr/the-sanctions-weapon
Panel discussion on policy implications of “Sanctions after Brexit”, organised by Brick Court Chambers, London, 21 June 2018.
Workshop on “Minilateralism: Responding to Global and Regional Cooperation Challenges in Europe” delivered to GCSP’s course on regional and global governance, 24 May 2018.
Participant in roundtable “Brexit: What Consequences for the EU’s Security and Defence Agenda?”. European Union Institute for Security Studies, Brussels, 23 March 2018.
Briefing in UK Parliament on the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (“SAMLB”) with officials, MPs, peers and senior stakeholders from the financial services industry, organised by UK Finance, 13 March 2018.
“North Korea Sanctions: Effectiveness and Common Approaches in the International Community”, delivered at the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique conference on "The DPRK Nuclear and Ballistic Crisis: The Way Forward", Brussels, funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and supported by the European External Action Service, 25 September 2017.
“Global Governance Adaptations: Minilateralism” on the New Issues in Security Course, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, 29 May 2017.
“UNSC Sanctions: Issues of Legitimacy and Effectiveness from 2006 to 2016 as part of “The Nuclear Negotiations with Iran” series for the Masters of International Affairs (MIA), Graduate Institute, 12 May 2017.
“Crisis in the global order: What role for “minilateral” diplomacy?“ at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)’s Leadership in International Security course, 2 March 2017.
"Sanctions contre la Russie : coûts et impacts", European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Paris Office at the French Representation to the European Commission, 13 December 2016.
Workshop on Russia sanctions, “International Sanctions: From Design to Implementation”, Geneva Centre for Security Policy Executive Course, 13 October 2016.
Co-chair of ongoing consultations on Syria sanctions and impacts of banking restrictions on humanitarian access, with UN, EU, US, banking and NGO communities. Graduate Institute. 2016-present.
Co-chair of Chatham House (Russia and Eurasia Programme) task force on transatlantic sanctions on Russia, 28 September 2016.
Task force member on Iran, Russia and Syria sanctions, European Union Institute for Security Studies (2015).
Task force member on Syria Conflict, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (2014).
"Rising Powers and Global Responses: International Security Organizations’, presented at the Economic and Social Research Council Seminar Series: Normative Challenges to International Society – Rising Powers and Global Responses", Plymouth University, 1 March,2014.
"Humanitarian Impacts of EU Sanctions on Iran and Syria", presentation given to Oxford University Strategic Studies Group, All Souls College, University of Oxford, 7 May 2013.
Parliamentary Testimonies & Governmental Hearings