State Department appoints new sanctions coordinator

The Senate approved the candidacy of James O'Brien for the post of HEAD of the State Department's Office of Sanctions Coordination, according to the agency's website.

The holder of this post has the diplomatic rank of ambassador, he is responsible for coordinating the US sanctions policy with other countries. The corresponding department was abolished after 2017, but in 2020 it was decided to recreate it.

“The new sanctions policy department will oversee the work on sanctions and further strengthen cooperation with allies and partners in the use of this critical tool. It will also help accountability for corruption and human rights violations, and will deter and stop activities that threaten our national security,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, noting that this is “a critical department at a critical time.”

O'Brien is vice chairman of the international consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group. According to its website, as the founder of the company, he worked on issues related to consumer products, media communications, the environment, media, healthcare and entertainment, and finance. In addition, he is on the board of Albright Capital Management LLC, an emerging markets investment advisory subsidiary.

From 2015 to 2017, under the administration of Barack Obama, O'Brien served as Special Envoy of the President of the United States for the release of American hostages abroad. From 1989 to 2001, he was first senior adviser to US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and then deputy head of the State Department's political planning section and special presidential envoy for the Balkans.

O'Brien's predecessor as U.S. sanctions coordinator was Daniel Fried, who served in that position from 2013-2017.

In October 2021, US President Joe Biden nominated O'Brien for the position of head of the department.