Unshackle Zimbabwe from sanctions– Ramaphosa tells the West

Hosia Mviringi

South African President and current Chair of SADC Troika on Peace, Defence and Security, Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the unconditional lifting of sanctions on the Southern African nation of Zimbabwe.

Delivering his keynote address at the just ended United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York, President Ramaphosa reiterated the SADC collective stance on United States and European unilateral sanctions on Zimbabwe.

"We also call for the lifting of the sanctions that are crippling Zimbabwe and crippling its economy," said President Ramaphosa.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the call while participating in the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly under the theme,

"Building resilience through hope- to recover from Covid-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, and revitalise the United Nations".

On the same platform, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi made the same remarks, telling the West that the illegal economic embargos are hurting Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has for 21 years endured the devastating effects of economic sanctions which were imposed by the Western nations as a way to discourage the fellow African States from emulating the successful Zimbabwean land reform program.

In August 2019, at the 39th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, October 25th of every year was set aside for collective voicing of condemnation through various actions across the region until sanctions have been lifted on the member country.

"Summit noted the adverse impact on the economy of Zimbabwe and the region at large of prolonged economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and expressed solidarity with Zimbabwe and called for the immediate lifting of sanctions to facilitate socio-economic recovery in the country," said SADC Secretariat in a Communique then in 2019.

At the Summit it was also agreed that member countries through their embassies and representatives to global bodies escalate lobbying for the lifting of the economic embargo which has had a contagion effect on regional economies.