Chronicle Editor
ZIMBABWE last week joined Sadc countries and like-minded countries across the globe to mark the Sadc Anti-Sanctions Day.
Zimbabweans from all corners of the country also took part in the initiative, standing firm behind the efforts by the Government to get the illegal sanctions removed. The illegal sanctions were imposed by the European Union and the United States of America (USA) at the turn of the new millennium in retaliation to the country’s noble Land Reform Exercise which corrected the imbalance in terms of land ownership and control in the country.
However, what has been remarkable has been the resilience exhibited by the Government to turn around the fortunes of the economy and improve people’s lives despite the illegal economic embargo. Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere last week said while the sanctions had been an albatross, the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa initiated the engagement and re-engagement policy and repositioned Zimbabwe’s diplomatic outlook for accelerated investment inflows into the country.
“Sanctions have had a negative impact on our economy but thanks to President Mnangagwa who has introduced transformative economic initiatives that have positively impacted on all our economic sectors including mining, agriculture, manufacturing, medical, tourism and even technological developments, their impact has been minimal. Zimbabwe has been denied access to international lines of credit but thanks to our inward-looking policies, the Government was able to entirely fund the fight against Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Dr Muswere said President Mnangagwa introduced a cocktail of measures to contain and mitigate the effects of the illegal sanctions.
“In reversing the menacing impact of sanctions as a tool to undermine our national democracy and economic sovereignty, His Excellency President Cde Dr ED Mnangagwa initiated the engagement and re-engagement policy. In so doing, the President repositioned Zimbabwe’s diplomatic outlook for accelerated investment inflows into our country. Industrial growth has overtaken the stagnation that the economic sector had endured prior to the birth of the Second Republic,” said Dr Muswere.
The Anti-Sanctions Day was adopted by the 39th Sadc Summit that was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in August 2019 and designated October 25 of each year as the day of solidarity with Zimbabwe against the illegal sanctions imposed by some Western nations.
President Mnangagwa also reiterated that the success of the engagement and re-engagement policy was evident and bearing positive results. The President recently received investors from the United Kingdom, Egypt and the Republic of Korea who are pursuing various investment opportunities.
“As a country, it is critically important that we must remain agile and guided by our national interest to adapt and mitigate the risks of external socio-economic and political shocks. Hence we shall remain guided by our policy that Zimbabwe is a friend to all and enemy of none, on a win-win basis. Our country shall never bow to parent-child or master-servant tactics, which some hegemonic powers attempt to impose. We shall forever remain ourselves, independent, proud Zimbabweans and Africans,” he said when addressing the 370th Ordinary Session of the Politburo at the Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare last week.
Bongani Ndlovu