On Friday, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) urged for the unconditional lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe.
In a statement marking SADC’s Anti-Sanctions Day, Mahamat expressed concern over the sanctions’ negative impact on Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development. The event is observed annually on October 25, highlighting the need for solidarity in the region.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, who is also SADC’s current chairperson, emphasized the sanctions’ detrimental effects. He described these sanctions as unwarranted and cruel, asserting they violate international law and the United Nations Charter.
Mnangagwa stated that the sanctions hinder regional integration and sustainable development efforts. He called for a collective regional response to challenge the sanctions that affect ordinary Zimbabweans.
In Harare, citizens marked Anti-Sanctions Day under the banner of the Broad Alliance Against Sanctions. A small group gathered outside the U.S. Embassy to demand the removal of U.S.-imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe.
The Broad Alliance has protested for approximately five years, claiming the sanctions are responsible for Zimbabwe’s economic challenges. Protester Edwin Mbewe stated, “The sanctions must go. Every ordinary Zimbabwean is suffering because of these sanctions.”
However, the U.S. Embassy refuted claims linking the sanctions to Zimbabwe’s economic struggles. Ambassador Pamela Tremont attributed the crisis to government corruption, stating, “Zimbabwe loses $1.8 billion to corruption annually.”
The U.S. Embassy further clarified that the sanctions affect only 11 individuals and 3 companies. It urged the Zimbabwean government to address economic mismanagement and corruption, which it sees as the root causes of the country’s troubles.
