News / National
US scoffs at Mnangagwa
28 Jun 2024 at 07:49hrs | Views
The United States government has dismissed Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa's accusations of establishing a military base in Zambia as "false."
Mnangagwa had recently expressed concerns to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Zambia, supported by US funding, posed a security threat to Zimbabwe and was being used to destabilize the region.
In a virtual press briefing, General Michael Langley, Commander of the US Africa Command and Marine Corps, refuted Mnangagwa's claims, stating unequivocally that there is no US military base in Zambia nor any plans to establish one. He emphasized that the US approach in Africa is based on cooperation and partnership with African nations, including Zambia, but without any military footprint.
Mnangagwa's remarks have strained relations between Zimbabwe and Zambia, prompting Zambia to seek intervention from regional bodies like SADC and the African Union to address what it calls unjustified attacks by the Zimbabwean leader.
The backdrop of these tensions includes ongoing US sanctions against Zimbabwe since 2003, recently updated to include restrictions on Mnangagwa and other officials under the Global Magnitsky Act for alleged corruption and human rights abuses. Despite these diplomatic challenges, the US continues to engage with Zambia on security cooperation and disaster response efforts.
As Zimbabwe prepares to assume the chairmanship of SADC in August, the regional political landscape remains tense, especially following the disputed 2023 elections and subsequent regional diplomatic spats.
Mnangagwa had recently expressed concerns to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Zambia, supported by US funding, posed a security threat to Zimbabwe and was being used to destabilize the region.
In a virtual press briefing, General Michael Langley, Commander of the US Africa Command and Marine Corps, refuted Mnangagwa's claims, stating unequivocally that there is no US military base in Zambia nor any plans to establish one. He emphasized that the US approach in Africa is based on cooperation and partnership with African nations, including Zambia, but without any military footprint.
The backdrop of these tensions includes ongoing US sanctions against Zimbabwe since 2003, recently updated to include restrictions on Mnangagwa and other officials under the Global Magnitsky Act for alleged corruption and human rights abuses. Despite these diplomatic challenges, the US continues to engage with Zambia on security cooperation and disaster response efforts.
As Zimbabwe prepares to assume the chairmanship of SADC in August, the regional political landscape remains tense, especially following the disputed 2023 elections and subsequent regional diplomatic spats.
Source - newsday
