Online Reporter
Kuda Bwititi in BEIJING, China
The Zimbabwe Embassy in China today held belated commemorations to mark the SADC Anti Sanctions Day, with diplomats from Africa and China intensifying the call for the ruinous embargo to be lifted.
In her remarks, the country’s envoy to China, Ambassador Abigail Shonhiwa, thanked SADC Member States for magnifying the lobby for the lifting of the sanctions.
“Sanctions are an attack not just on Zimbabwe, but on all SADC countries and Africa,” Ambassador Shonhiwa said.
“They are hurting Zimbabwe’s economy and by extension its capacity to fully cooperate with SADC and AU partners in integration processes.”
Ambassador Shonhiwa said Zimbabwe remaine resolute in its determination to weather the storms of the hostile and unwarranted onslaught of sanctions, never surrendering to bullying tactics.
“To that end, the theme of this year’s anti-sanctions day: ‘Inclusive Development through Heritage-Based Innovation and Industrialisation in a Multilateral World’, is befitting,” she said.
“Zimbabwe is, therefore, harnessing all its resources towards a development trajectory that leaves no one and no place behind, based on adding value to its rich natural resources.
“It has geared all its academic institutions towards innovation that is designed to drive its industrialisation goal.
“Zimbabwe deserves the chance to interact and integrate with the rest of the world without the shackles and hindrance of sanctions, which are drawing it back together with the entire SADC and African countries so that it can realise its full potential.”
She said Zimbabwe looked forward to continued support from the international community until sanctions were lifted.
Minister Counsellor in the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Cheng Yan, said: “This September, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative.
“We hope China and African countries will strengthen mutual support on issues of core interest and major concerns to build a more just and equitable global governance system to protect the shared interests of developing countries to make unremitting efforts for the noble cause of humanity and development.
“We call on again, a few Western countries and organisations to remove all illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe completely and unconditionally. We wish Zimbabwe prosperity and the Zimbabwean people all happiness.
“China firmly used its veto power…the first time for an African country to block this aggressive and illegal resolution. In the future, China will firmly support Zimbabwe’s opposition to external interference and all its efforts to take a path of self-determination and development. Secondly, we will continue to promote common development.
“When sanctions persist, it is vital to provide Zimbabwe with developmental support. China is the largest source of foreign investment and a major trading partner of Zimbabwe.”
In his remarks, the Permanent Representative of the African union to the People’s Republic of China, Ambassador Alhaji Sarjoh Bah, said sanctions undermined inclusive development and weakened Zimbabwe’s capacity to industrialise.
“The common message is clear and unchanged. Unilateral sanctions obstruct Africa’s development and weaken the credibility of multilateralism,” Ambassador Bah said.
“They increase the cost of capital, block access to investment, and make the business environment less predictable. When this happens, recovery, competitiveness and convergence are affected across the region.”
A representative of the Zimbabwean community in China, Ms Joanne Majongosi, said: “When sanctions were first imposed on Zimbabwe, the world was told they would target only a few individuals.
“Over the years, however, they have severely harmed our economy and inflicted tremendous suffering on ordinary Zimbabweans who had no part in the political conflicts.”
The event was attended by several African diplomats stationed in China.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of Madagascar, Mr Louis Robinson, relinquished his chairmanship of the SADC Ambassadors in the People’s Republic of China to pave way for South Africa, which recently assumed the interim chair of SADC following political turmoil in Antananarivo.
