'Zimbabwe needs sanctions lifted to develop'

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has called on the world to rally behind SADC's quest to have illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West removed  to enable the country to realise its full potential.

In his virtual address to the United Nations Diamond Anniversary today, the President said countries like Zimbabwe were surviving under difficult circumstances because of the economic sanctions that also affect their efforts, in this critical Decade of Action, towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

His address comes a day before Zimbabwe is joined by SADC countries in an unprecedented regional show of solidarity in calling for the United States and her allies, that unilaterally imposed the illegal sanctions to immediately lift the punitive economic embargoes.

"The people of Zimbabwe remain burdened and hamstrung by the unjust unilateral illegal economic sanctions imposed by Western countries. The impact of these measures on affected countries is well documented and confirmed by UN experts and humanitarian practitioners.

"As the world marks the 75th anniversary and celebrates UN Day under the theme, 'The future we want, the UN we Need', and within the context of the call for a Decade of Action and measures for a post-Covid-19 world; let us remain mindful of the difficult circumstances faced by the people and the countries living under sanctions.

"With regards to Zimbabwe, therefore, this time is most opportune for the international community to rally behind the call by SADC for the unconditional removal of all illegal economic sanctions imposed on our country." He added,

"This is the only way to enable the country to fully participate and implement the very noble programmes being championed by the UN and other international partners; at national, regional and global levels."

Under the spiteful sanctions, imposed at the turn of the millennium by Western countries as punishment for the land reform programme, Zimbabwe has limited access to multilateral and financial support from international institutions, with devastating effects on ordinary people especially children and women.

The illegal economic sanctions, that are blind to the Second Republic's re-engagement efforts and the far reaching political reforms that have been undertaken to entrench constitutionalism, have limited Zimbabwe's capacity to respond to the current Covid-19 pandemic.

However, only a few Western countries remain obstinate to the progress being undertaken by the Second Republic, with SADC nations in the spirit of solidarity tomorrow taking a bold stance for the second in two years in calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions.

In Zimbabwe the ruling Zanu-PF party has been joined by the country's main opposition MDC party in the call for the removal of sanctions with opposition parties, churches and civic organisations expected to take part in the anti-sanctions day tomorrow.

The President told the family of nations that the economic shocks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are yet again a reminder to the world of the need for multilateralism as opposed to unilateralism.

"Going forward, Zimbabwe reaffirms its commitment to continue working with the international community in fighting the pandemic, informed by the desire to ensure that no one is left behind."

The President added that Zimbabwe was in support of calls by the UN secretary general António Guterres and World Health Organisation (WHO) director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for the Covid-19 vaccine to be treated as a global public good, with guaranteed distribution and mechanisms to ensure equal access.

Tomorrow Zimbabwe marks the second anniversary of the SADC Anti-Sanctions Day in full observance of the Covid-19 regulations as the country continues to observe the WHO recommended guidelines.