Ramaphosa takes Zimbabwe sanctions fight to Davos

SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken the campaign against illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe to the 49th edition of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

WEF brings together governments, corporates, donors, the academia, labour and other high-level players who control the global socio-economic levers.

Speaking at an International Labour Organisation (ILO) meeting in Switzerland yesterday ahead of the WEF, President Ramaphosa said the sanctions against Zimbabwe were stifling the country's economic growth.

"Zimbabwe has emerged from a very difficult political situation and they held recent elections which went well. But they still have sanctions that many countries around the world have imposed on them.

"We are some of those who have been calling on the world to relax the sanctions or lift the sanctions altogether so that Zimbabwe can begin to operate in an economic manner with the capabilities that it has . . .," he said.

President Ramaphosa said Zimbabwe was facing economic challenges which the world can assist in addressing if the sanctions were lifted. Zimbabwe has been labouring under illegal Western sanctions which have hurt the economy for about 20 years.

Last year, President Ramaphosa also called on the European Union (EU) to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe saying the country has turned a wonderful corner and needs support on its path to great reforms.