Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava, yesterday updated SADC about the purported removal of sanctions by the United States, but reiterated that Zimbabwe wants nothing short of total removal of the heinous embargo.
In his address during the SADC Council of Ministers in Luanda, Angola, yesterday, Ambassador Shava said Zimbabwe wanted all sanctions to go.
“You may be aware, Chair (Angola Minister of External Relations Ambassador Téte António), of the recent decisions by the United States of America government to terminate the Presidential Executive Order sanctions regime on Zimbabwe,” he said.
“While this is a welcome development, it falls far, far short of what we expect and want. The fact that 11 Zimbabwean individuals have been placed on the so-called Global Magnitsky sanctions programme certainly points to the insincerity of the USA government on this matter.
“Our region, through SADC, has a long-standing position on sanctions against one of its members, my country. I am aware that the region’s position will inform and guide our discussion on the proposed SADC-USA Dialogue Forum.
“Chair, Zimbabwe would like to thank SADC countries for supporting the call for the lifting of the illegal and unwarranted sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries.”
Ambassador Shava said all the efforts by SADC continue to demonstrate solidarity for Zimbabwe to chart its own development path without the albatross of the sanctions.
His stance comes at a time when President Mnangagwa also castigated the US for the piecemeal sanctions removal.
Turning to peace and security in the region, Ambassador Shava said these were essential preconditions in the advancement of SADC.
“The relative peace and security we enjoy in the region today is a result of our commitment to prioritise our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
“It goes without saying that peace and security are essential preconditions in the advancement of the region’s development agenda.”
Ambassador Shava reminded member States about the importance of ensuring that the mechanism for engagement of non-State actors, who donate funds to the regional block should not undermine regional cohesion and solidarity and that there be a robust and continuous monitoring and review mechanism in place to ensure the partners adhere to their mandates.
SADC Executive Secretary, Mr Elias Magosi, took the opportunity to update member States of the regional body’s efforts to mobilise resources for the implementation of prioritised projects as well as the body’s focus on strengthening political cooperation and enhancing democracy, good governance and human security as it continues to experience security threats in eastern DR Congo and northern Cabo Delgado in Mozambique.
Mr Magosi said as part of their efforts to mobilise resources to implement regional integration based on the prioritised projects, the Secretariat had scaled up its resource mobilisation drive with international cooperating partners.
“In the last financial year, the Secretariat has so far mobilised resources to the tune of US$185 million,” he said.
“Despite these efforts, however, the resource envelope still falls far short of the total required to implement the prioritised projects for regional integration and development.
“With regards to peace and security, the region continues to focus on strengthening political cooperation, and enhancing democracy, good governance, and human security.”
The region launched the SADC Mission in the DRC as a regional response to help the DRC to address the unstable security situation in the eastern part of the country.
The region also continues to support the SADC Mission in Mozambique, which is in its final stages of winding up the operation, having made good progress in helping the government of Mozambique improve the security situation in Cabo Delgado.
The Council of Ministers oversees the function and development of SADC and ensures that policies and decisions are implemented accordingly.
The meeting started yesterday and ends today. – Herald
