Online Reporter
THE damage wrought on Zimbabwe by the United States’ mischievous, malign and thoroughly illegal sanctions law — the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act — over the past 24 years has been more than apparent.
True to what they were designed to achieve, the coercive measures indeed made the economy scream.
Zimbabwe’s currency collapsed and savings were wiped out, among other deleterious effects that were specifically meant to bring about regime change.
For the West, the ruling ZANU PF Government had committed an unpardonable sin by repossessing land from its kith and kin — the white settler farmers.
There was a time when it looked like sanctions, as a tool of regime change, would succeed, but, true to its spirit, Zimbabwe once again proved unbowed and unbreakable.
It, however, all changed after the political transition in 2017, which heralded a new era of rapprochement under President Mnangagwa’s engagement and re-engagement foreign policy drive.
But clearly, transformative economic reforms have made all the difference by rendering sanctions irrelevant.
Not only is Zimbabwe’s economy one of the fastest growing in the region and on the continent, but its massive infrastructure development drive is the most consequential in our post-independence history.
And this has not escaped the West’s notice and attention.
It is, therefore, not surprising that our diplomatic relations with the West are beginning to thaw.
For instance, in a move that signals the most profound recalibration of American foreign policy towards Harare in nearly a quarter century, Representative Brian Mast recently introduced the State Policy Provisions Bill in the US House of Representatives. This legislation represents the clearest indication yet that Washington is preparing to end the sanctions regime that has defined US-Zimbabwe relations for 24 years.
This pivot is not born of sudden diplomatic whimsy but is a pragmatic recognition of the sustained economic progress and political stability achieved under the Second Republic.
Ending these sanctions is a critical step that could turbocharge Zimbabwe’s ambitious quest to become an empowered upper middle-income economy by 2030.
For over two decades, sanctions have been the central pillar of Western policy towards Zimbabwe, initially imposed in response to the Land Reform Programme.
These measures, which included targeted asset freezes and travel bans against specific individuals and entities, isolated the nation from crucial international financial systems and stifled foreign investment.
While intended to pressure the Government, the broader Zimbabwean economy and its people ultimately bore the heaviest cost, contributing to periods of hyperinflation and economic contraction that were among the most severe in history for a nation not at war.
But President Mnangagwa’s political and economic reforms have changed the narrative.
The economy is no longer screaming but singing, forcing the West to rethink its relations with Harare.
The European union has progressively scaled back its coercive measures, engaging in a more nuanced dialogue.
This cautious European rapprochement has now been overtaken by the bold potential of the American legislation.
Representative Mast’s Bill effectively forces Washington’s hand, compelling a long-overdue acknowledgment of a new reality: the Zimbabwe of 2025 is not the Zimbabwe of 2001.
The introduction of this Bill is a direct testament to the tangible achievements made since the advent of the Second Republic in 2017.
The country’s sustained stability and project implementation have created an undeniable momentum that Western powers can no longer ignore.
An end to US sanctions would be transformative for Zimbabwe, fundamentally altering its economic trajectory.
It would help the country regain access to the global dollar-based financial system, including institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
This is paramount in addressing the country’s significant debt arrears and securing the funding necessary for large-scale infrastructure projects.
Further, with the stigma and legal risks of sanctions removed, Zimbabwe would become a far more attractive destination for foreign capital.
Overall, the removal of sanctions will add tailwinds to an economy that is already flying.
So, the US’ proposed legislation is a watershed moment — one that acknowledges both the futility of sanctions as a foreign policy tool and the inspiring realisation that it is indeed possible for countries to chart their own economic destinies and excel regardless of the coercive measures.
Owing to the evolving geopolitical dynamics, we hope that it has finally dawned on Washington and its allies that there is much to lose than gain in diplomatic relations defined by sanctions.
They just have to be removed in toto — without conditions.
