As President Donald J. Trump begins his second term in office, PeacePro, a peacebuilding think tank officially known as the Foundation for Peace Professionals, has called for a bold shift in U.S. foreign policy by urging the administration to cancel all unilateral sanctions and embargoes on countries including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
PeacePro notes that U.S sanctions and embargo to sovereign nations contribute to global instability and human suffering, adding that such unilateral conduct by the United States portrays the US as a global bully rather than a global police.
In a statement by PeacePro’s Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group denounced the use of sanctions as a form of collective punishment that disproportionately affects innocent civilians without delivering meaningful diplomatic outcomes.
“Sanctions are not instruments of peace. They violate international norms and impose devastating hardships on ordinary people, depriving them of food, medicine, and other essentials,” Hamzat said.
Hamzat cited Cuba’s decades-long economic embargo, which has stifled growth and restricted access to medical technologies, as a clear example of the humanitarian cost of U.S. sanctions.
Similarly, he pointed to Iran, where sanctions have deepened public health crises and hindered life-saving medical supplies.
According to PeacePro, such policies not only exacerbate human suffering but also destabilize global markets and fuel geopolitical tensions.
“These sanctions do more harm than good,” Hamzat continued. “They isolate entire populations and entrench authoritarian regimes rather than promoting democratic reforms.”
PeacePro outlined an alternative foreign policy framework emphasizing dialogue, multilateral diplomacy, and respect for national sovereignty.
Hamzat urged the Trump administration to lift all unilateral sanctions and work through international institutions such as the United Nations to resolve global disputes.
“Ending unilateral sanctions would restore U.S. credibility, align its actions with democratic values, and set a precedent for a more just and peaceful international order”
“Sanctions should never be used as weapons of mass deprivation. They contradict the principles of proportionality and morality enshrined in international law,” Hamzat declared.
“The Trump administration must seize this moment to lead with integrity, respect, and a renewed commitment to peace through justice.
