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Dr Norbert Hosho Correspondent
Economic sanctions are not a new thing in the international world.
They have existed since the ancient Greek, and there has been an acceleration of sanctioning activity that reflects their growing use by international organisations as well as by the one remaining world hegemony, the United States.
The application of sanctions has continued against certain countries to achieve desired political and economic outcomes, failure of which makes the sanctions imposing nations agitated.
Sanctions largely consist of the imposition of embargoes, trade and financial restrictions, and diplomatic isolation.
In the recent past, the scope of sanctions has widened to include other elements that are not directly linked to trade and commerce such as culture and sports.
In view of the anti-sanctions month and the impending SADC anti-sanctions day, Zimbabwe reflects on the curse of illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West in direct response to the country’s historic black empowering land reform.
The land reform triggered the imposition of economic sanctions against Zimbabwe in the form of the so-called “targeted” sanctions.
In the year 2001, the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) gave birth to the US sanctions programme against Zimbabwe.
ZIDERA is opposed to giving bilateral and debt relief and assistance to Zimbabwe.
The EU, in 2002, joined the US, and slapped Zimbabwe with the so-called “targeted measures” on pro-ruling party entities, including high-ranking politicians, business figures, journalists and military personnel.
When targeted sanctions are directed against political leaders and Government officials of a particular country, it is usually the vulnerable groups of society who suffer and not the “targeted” group.
It is imperative to highlight the fact that the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe are basically aimed at influencing political decisions in Zimbabwe although the senders claim to be seeking to restore democracy and promote economic recovery.
The sanctions game in Zimbabwe is simply a game of politics!
The US and EU sanctions on Zimbabwe are illegal and unjustified because they violate Article 41 of the United Nations Charter, which states that sanctions can only be decided by the UN Security Council.
Any unilateral measures taken by an individual state without the approval of UNSC resolution are illegal in nature because they infringe upon States’ right to economic and social development.
Cognisant of this, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution which calls upon all States not to recognise unilateral extra-territorial coercive economic measures or legislative acts imposed by any state on another.
It is noteworthy that the listing of highest state officials, and the possibility to designate property or companies they own or control, affect nearly all economic sectors.
Imposing high fines on companies and banks for dealing with designated individuals or property they control, based on payments in US dollars, results in increasing reputational risks and the adoption of zero-risk policies by US and third-country nationals or companies as part of over-compliance.
Thus, the notion of ‘targeted sanctions’ in Zimbabwe is null and void as the sanctions cannot, in practice, be isolated from the negative consequences of secondary sanctions, civil and criminal penalties for circumvention of sanctions regimes, zero- risk policies and over-compliance.
The cumulative effect of these is an important factor undermining the capacity of the Government of Zimbabwe to exercise its duty to maintain the functioning of critical infrastructure, to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, and to ensure the enjoyment of fundamental human rights.
But after successfully imposing illegal sanctions against the tenets of international law, one wonders why the United States and its allies, especially the European Union, are unhappy to this day.
The imposition of sanctions by the United States and its allies, which was firmly grounded on their quest for Zimbabwe’s international isolation, has failed to accomplish the intended mission of bringing Zimbabwe to its knees.
Progressive nations have clearly resisted the pressure from the Western countries and have maintained their stance against sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, condemning them for their illegality and negative impact on Zimbabwean livelihoods.
Despite the United States having employed several propaganda equipment to misrepresent facts about the situation obtaining in Zimbabwe over the past two decades, this has not yielded the desired results for the US and its Western friends.
It dawned on them later, that after having depended on them for a considerably long period of time, Zimbabwe was still able to refocus and look East.
This was expressly pronounced by the late President Robert Mugabe as the “Look East Policy”.
This did not go down well with the United States and its friends who made every effort to tarnish Zimbabwe’s image.
The implication therefore is that the Western world continues to lose out to Zimbabwe and the progressive world.
This is so because Zimbabwe keeps engaging and re-engaging.
Zimbabwe has developed and maintains close ties with several revolutionary states and organisations.
Among these are the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
The United States and its friends are infuriated by the sustained co-operation between Zimbabwe and its global partners.
For instance, over the recent past, China, which is the second largest world economic giant has given even more diplomatic attention and financial assistance to Zimbabwe.
The Chinese support for political and economic freedom in Zimbabwe counters the illegal sanctions.
This has further frustrated efforts by the West to destabilise Zimbabwe and Africa at large. With such support, Zimbabwe remains steadfast, much to the disappointment of the West.
There is no sign whatsoever, that Zimbabwe will concede to the demands of the United States and its allies.
The Chinese government and firms have invested billions of dollars in foreign exchange and have used Chinese engineering and construction resources on infrastructure for developing natural resources in Zimbabwe and several other countries including Algeria, Angola, Gabon, Nigeria and Sudan.
Zimbabwe remains a beneficiary of good diplomatic relations with China, as substantial quantities of the country’s platinum and iron ore are exported to Beijing, thereby earning the country the much-needed foreign currency.
Efforts by the West to cripple Zimbabwe’s security sector by imposing sanctions on the Zimbabwe Defence Industries presented yet another opportunity for the country to strengthen diplomatic ties with the progressive world, as this culminated in sound strategic relations with countries that oppose these illegal sanctions.
Zimbabwe has the right to unconditionally access supplies of weapons and military equipment for normal national security purposes, including defending the country’s territorial integrity.
Since the imposition of sanctions on Zimbabwe, the United States and Britain have on different occasions tried and failed to organise formal debates in the United Nations General Assembly and possibly generate punitive Security Council resolutions our country.
The UN has to this day been unable to reach a consensus on ratifying sanctions against Zimbabwe. Thus, the sanctions remain illegal, clearly exposing the imposing nations’ violation of the same fundamental human rights they purport to promote.
Dr Norbert Hosho is the president and founder of Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Trust (ZAST), an educationist and trainer in economic empowerment and entrepreneurial leadership. Feedback:+263773115890 or email [email protected] or [email protected].
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