daniel chigunwe
Political Editor
THE Anti-Sanctions Crusade has reached parts of Central America with progressive nations adding their voices for the unconditional removal of the economic embargoes that have bled Zimbabwe for two decades.
This comes as the anti-sanctions campaign, which already has a regional character after SADC adopted October 25 as the Anti-Sanctions Day, has also found currency in Western capitals that imposed the illegal sanctions at the turn of the millennium as punishment for the Land Reform programme.
With the exception of a few Western countries, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, most of the progressive world have admitted that the sanctions are unnecessary and choke Zimbabwe’s economic development.
Recently, in Cuba, SADC member states, with the African Union represented and joined by their host were united in the call for the unconditional lifting of the illegal economic sanctions that have cost the country over US100 billion in bilateral donor support, international commercial loans, and grants and loans from the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
Ms Cristina López, Africa Specialist at the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, condemned the measures affecting that nation and called for the unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions.
President of the Cuba -Africa Friendship Association, Mr Victor Dreke, pointed out that the sanctions applied by the United States and the European Union damage the development of Zimbabwe and other countries, and threaten the freedom of the peoples that make up the SADC and, by extension that of the entire continent.
On his part, the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Cuba, Mr Ignatius Graham Mudzimba, called for the urgent and unconditional elimination of the atrocious sanctions imposed on his nation that make it impossible to improve the quality of life of its citizens and develop without hindrance.
The continued existence of these sanctions, he said, not only has a negative impact on the Government’s ability to address socio-economic issues, but also hinders the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
During the event, solidarity messages were also delivered Namibian Ambassador to Cuba, in place of Malawi, which currently chairs SADC, as the latter is not represented in Central American country.
The Namibian Ambassador said sanctions are hurting the entire SADC region hence the need for their removal since they were impending trade in the region. On his part DRC Ambassador to Cuba said the sanctions are illegal.
The Caribbean Community was also represented by Belize Ambassador to Cuba who described the sanctions as unfortunate, particularly at a time the world is faced with a pandemic and economic crisis.
Recently, Professor Alena Douhan the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights said sanctions have cost Zimbabwe.
In her comprehensive findings Professor Douhan established that the unilateral sanctions imposed against natural and legal persons in Zimbabwe, as well as secondary sanctions and extensive over-compliance by banks and third-country companies, raise serious concerns about their correspondence with international legal standards, over-compliance with the sanctions has also exacerbated pre-existing social and economic challenges with devastating consequences for the people of Zimbabwe, especially those living in poverty, women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities as well as marginalised and other vulnerable groups.
Online Reporter