‘Sanctions: A major threat to national security’

Wellington Dengu 

Sanctions are a major threat to national security as they cripple Government efforts towards the achievement of its objectives and successful implementation of policies.

This was said by the Minister of Defence, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri in her address to participants of the National Defence Course (NDC) Number 12/2023 at the Zimbabwe National Defence University (ZNDU) recently.

“Sanctions are a threat because as a nation we do not live in isolation, we depend on other countries for markets, raw materials and other commodities for us to survive,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri urged all Zimbabweans to love and put their country first as the solution to solve the country’s challenges and gave examples of other countries who have survived in the midst of sanctions.

“The only solution is to put our country first, love our currency and desist from misusing our God given natural resources through corrupt means. 

“Cuba is one example of a country that has managed to survive in the midst of sanctions; it has managed to supply us with doctors and trained our teachers while on sanctions. China has also survived sanctions and managed to stand with us to date,” she said. 

The Minister said the Government, through its various security service sectors will work hard to ensure that a peaceful and conducive environment to do business continues to prevail to achieve the National Vision 2030.

“The Government, under President Mnangagwa’s Second Republic has put in place so many policies such as the recent one which is the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1). 

“This strategy is hinged on the ultimate desire to ensure that the country achieves an upper middle income economy by 2030, and eventually uplift all people from poverty”, said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.