Zimbabwe hopeful US relations will improve

THERE remains hope for some thawing in Zimbabwe-United States relations in the last few months of President Barack Obama's administration, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi has said.

He was speaking to Zimbabwean media here after meeting US assistant secretary of state for African affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield as part of regular bilateral engagements aimed at improving relations.

The US imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe through the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act as a response to Harare's decision to redistribute land held by 6 000 white farmers to 300 000 previously disadvantaged black families.

Zidera bars all international financial institutions in which the US has representation or shareholding from co-operating with Zimbabwe, contrary to claims that the sanctions are "targeted" at a few political elites.

Zimbabwe has been engaging the US and the European Union, which also unilaterally imposed sanctions over the same reason, with a view to normalising relations.