Zimbabwe’s push for the lifting of what they term an illegal economic embargo imposed by Western countries on Harare, arguing that the impact of the sanctions is being felt across the region.
Zimbabwe has been under sanctions from the US, European Union (EU), the United Kingdom and their allies for the last two decades over alleged human rights violations.
Other countries that still maintain a sanctions regime against Zimbabwe include Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Harare contends that the sanctions were imposed as punishment for its land reform programme under the late Robert Mugabe that displaced nearly 4,000 white Zimbabwean commercial farmers from the year 2000 onwards.
In 2019, Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries set aside October 25 each year to collectively call for the removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe and this week the region has been sending solidarity messages to buttress calls for the removal of the embargo.
The SADC Group of Ambassadors and High Commissioners in Nairobi, Kenya, in their solidarity message said the sanctions had negatively impacted Zimbabwe’s economy.
“We reiterate that SADC’s clarion call against the illegal and destructive sanctions against Zimbabwe will continue, calling for the country to be allowed to develop politically and socio-economically in an enabling environment,” the diplomats said.
“The international community must be made aware that the sanctions against Zimbabwe have severely hindered its economic growth through limited access to international financing trade, negatively affecting the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.
“It is our belief that it is only through unity of purpose and collective advocacy for the lifting of these sanctions, that they will be lifted sooner rather than later.”
The diplomats said Zimbabwe’s economic growth was closely linked with that of its SADC neighbours, which meant that the effects of the sanctions were felt throughout the region.
