Staff Reporter
The recent partial removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe by the United States of America (USA) is nonsensical and can only become meaningful if these illegal sanctions are removed in total, President Mnangagwa has said.
He said while the USA is saying that it has removed some of the sanctions imposed on the country, the fact that they haven’t removed all of them was “absolute nonsense”.
President Mnangagwa said this following the alleged removal of sanctions by the USA against many Zimbabweans and companies on Monday.
President Biden signed an Executive Order (E.O.) allegedly terminating the national emergency concerning Zimbabwe and revoking the E.O.s that have authorized Zimbabwe-specific sanctions.
“As a result, the economic sanctions administered by OFAC unUnfortunately, the USA imposed new ones on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and some senior Government officials and business people who have been working on reviving the economy.
The sanctions list was introduced in 2001 when the country embarked on a successful agrarian programme aimed at addressing land imbalances that existed since the colonization of the country by Britain.
President Mnangagwa was addressing thousands of villagers from across the Midlands province attending the historic launch of three ICT policies namely the reviewed national ICT policy, the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan, the National Broadband Plan at Somabhula Secondary School in Vungu area outside Gweru.
He said the 24-year-old illegal – sanctions regime imposed on Zimbabwe should be unconditionally removed adding that the United Nations Security Council and the US should do the noble thing and lift them unconditionally.
“The recent announcement by the USA that they were removing sanctions on Zimbabwe remains absolute nonsense if they are partially removed. Those sanctions are illegal and the United Nations Security Council has also declared these sanctions illegal and they must be unconditionally removed,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said removing some sanctions on Zimbabwe while maintaining some was in breach with the UN Security Council protocol.
“As it stands it remains meaningless and nonsensical. Nothing short of total removal of these illegal sanctions is nonsense to us and they should just do the honorable thing and lift these sanctions in their entirety,” said the President.
He said Zimbabwe was a sovereign nation and Washington should not expect applause from Harare adding that Zimbabwe was a friend to all and an enemy to none.
“We will only be pleased if they are removing all the sanctions on Zimbabweans; this will help us grow even better. They must not expect us to smile when they announce that they are removing some sanctions and maintaining some. These sanctions are in their nature illegal and must be removed,” he said.
The President reiterated that Zimbabwe was a friend to all and an enemy to none adding that the reengagement drive which is the hallmark of the Second Republic must see the sanctions on Zimbabwe being scrapped off. He called on Zimbabwe and the African continent at large to remain united in the fight against illegal sanctions.
“We must continue to remain united as Zimbabweans in particular and Africa at large as we fight the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe. Together we will prevail against all odds,” he said. President Mnangagwa said despite the sanctions regime on the country, Zimbabwe has registered a record four percent growth, a mark above many countries in the SADC region.
“I am happy that for the last 24 years, we have remained united and even with these unjust sanctions on us, we have developed our country using domestic resources, local expertise and skills We have grown our economy to above four percent GDP with many countries in the region only managing register around 2.4 percent growth rate,” he said.“On October 25 last year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat once again renewed the longstanding AU demand for the immediate and unconditional lifting of sanctions imposed against institutions and individuals of Zimbabwe, and in full support of the country. #TheSun
