News / National
Australia eases sanctions against Zimbabwe
05 Mar 2012 at 06:06hrs | Views
Australia is further easing its sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Australia's Acting Foreign Minister Craig Emerson says his government will remove 82 regime loyalists from its autonomous financial and travel sanctions list.
Dr Emerson says the figures no longer pose a threat to the restoration of democracy, the rule of law, or progress under the country's power-sharing agreement.
"Australia's autonomous sanctions regime against Zimbabwe remains one of the world's toughest," he said.
"We will continue to uphold this until there is further progress towards democracy and respect for the rule of law in Zimbabwe."
The government will maintain travel and financial sanctions against 153 individuals and four entities allied to President Robert Mugabe.
Prohibitions on defence links and a ban preventing the adult children of listed individuals studying in Australia will also remain in place.
Australia is the third largest bilateral donor to the global effort to assist Zimbabwe, focused on humanitarian relief and promoting economic recovery.
"We want to see Zimbabwe get back on its feet so that its economy can prosper, and its society can be freer, fairer and more democratic," Dr Emerson said.
The Howard government first imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe in October 2002.
The government removed 17 people from the sanctions list last August.
The European Union removed 51 people and 20 companies from its sanctions list last month.
Mugabe, who turned 88 last month, has held power in Zimbabwe since the 1980s.
His Zanu-PF party is in a shaky power-sharing coalition - formed after violent and disputed 2008 elections - with his long-term adversary, Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mugabe has pledged to call fresh elections this year, despite opposition calls for the polling to be delayed until constitutional reforms are complete.
Human rights groups have warned of likely election violence.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said it was important that changes to sanctions were made in co-ordination with other sanctioning nations.
"The pressure on Mr Mugabe and his cronies must not be eased until they renounce all forms of violence and corruption and allow the beautiful country of Zimbabwe to be ruled by a democratically elected government that acts in the best interests of all Zimbabweans," she said.
Australia's Acting Foreign Minister Craig Emerson says his government will remove 82 regime loyalists from its autonomous financial and travel sanctions list.
Dr Emerson says the figures no longer pose a threat to the restoration of democracy, the rule of law, or progress under the country's power-sharing agreement.
"Australia's autonomous sanctions regime against Zimbabwe remains one of the world's toughest," he said.
"We will continue to uphold this until there is further progress towards democracy and respect for the rule of law in Zimbabwe."
The government will maintain travel and financial sanctions against 153 individuals and four entities allied to President Robert Mugabe.
Prohibitions on defence links and a ban preventing the adult children of listed individuals studying in Australia will also remain in place.
Australia is the third largest bilateral donor to the global effort to assist Zimbabwe, focused on humanitarian relief and promoting economic recovery.
"We want to see Zimbabwe get back on its feet so that its economy can prosper, and its society can be freer, fairer and more democratic," Dr Emerson said.
The government removed 17 people from the sanctions list last August.
The European Union removed 51 people and 20 companies from its sanctions list last month.
Mugabe, who turned 88 last month, has held power in Zimbabwe since the 1980s.
His Zanu-PF party is in a shaky power-sharing coalition - formed after violent and disputed 2008 elections - with his long-term adversary, Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mugabe has pledged to call fresh elections this year, despite opposition calls for the polling to be delayed until constitutional reforms are complete.
Human rights groups have warned of likely election violence.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said it was important that changes to sanctions were made in co-ordination with other sanctioning nations.
"The pressure on Mr Mugabe and his cronies must not be eased until they renounce all forms of violence and corruption and allow the beautiful country of Zimbabwe to be ruled by a democratically elected government that acts in the best interests of all Zimbabweans," she said.
Source - AAP
