section_path: Causes/Economic sanctions
section_name: Economic sanctions
paragraph_text: Economic sanctions
  
  Economic sanctions are state or UN sanctioned measures to pressure a targeted country to submit to political demands. Because such measures often involve limiting imports and exports to "crash" or inflict pain on the targeted nation's economy. This can restrict the targeted nation's economic development and make it more difficult for their population to access food. Economic sanctions have been blamed for contributing to the North Korean famine in the 1990s. The effects of sanctions against Iraq in the 1990s on mortality are disputed. Following the Taliban 's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Human Rights Watch warned that Afghanistan was at risk of famine and urged the UN, World Bank, US and other countries to modify their sanctions to help prevent famine.