Harare, Zimbabwe – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reiterated calls for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe, asserting that the economic embargo, though ostensibly aimed at specific individuals, is severely impacting ordinary Zimbabweans.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has designated October 25 as Anti-Sanctions Day, in solidarity with Zimbabwe and its people. The day, endorsed by regional leaders, is intended to amplify the call for the immediate removal of sanctions imposed by the United States at the beginning of the 2000s.
According to a statement from SADC’s chairperson, the sanctions are thwarting Zimbabwe’s economic recovery and disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. “It is the ordinary people, particularly the vulnerable, who bear the brunt of these heinous and inhumane measures, which also stifle economic and social progress in Zimbabwe,” the chairperson said, voicing the bloc’s united stance.
In a joint statement, President Mnangagwa urged for “the immediate and unconditional removal of these unwarranted and cruel sanctions,” arguing they violate international norms and the United Nations Charter.
Earlier this year, the United States announced an end to the broader Zimbabwe sanctions program, which was first implemented in response to the 2000s land reform programme involving uncompensated seizures of predominantly white-owned commercial farms. Executive Orders from 2003, 2005, and 2008 had initially blocked assets and transactions related to individuals associated with the Zimbabwean government under the US International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
However, the US administration subsequently imposed fresh restrictions on select individuals through the Global Magnitsky Act, targeting officials for alleged human rights abuses and corruption. Prominent figures who remain on the sanctions list include President Mnangagwa himself, his wife Auxillia Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, and business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei, among others.
President Mnangagwa emphasised that sanctions are undermining Zimbabwe’s potential to contribute to SADC’s goals of economic integration and sustainable development. “Our region enjoys relative peace and stability and continues to work towards achieving a prosperous and integrated region,” he said, stressing that sanctions pose a significant barrier to this vision.
“As a community, we have to continue working together to ensure that our region remains a beacon of hope and prosperity for generations to come,” Mnangagwa concluded.
SADC member states stand in unity with Zimbabwe, underscoring that the sanctions hinder not only Zimbabwe’s growth but also the progress of the entire region.