Chronicle Editor
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IN a hard-hitting report, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures, Alena Douhan, has detailed the widespread and devastating collateral damage inflicted on Zimbabwe’s socio-economic sectors by illegal sanctions imposed over 20 years ago.
Douhan’s visit to Zimbabwe from October 18 to 28, 2021 has directly challenged the repeated assertions by the countries imposing these sanctions that the measures are “targeted” in nature and do not have any punitive effect beyond those specifically targeted.
The report paints a stark picture of the far-reaching consequences of the sanctions, which have crippled Zimbabwe’s economy, healthcare system, education, and infrastructure development. This comprehensive assessment contradicts the claims of the sanctions’ proponents that the measures are limited in their impact.
The findings from the UN Special Rapporteur’s visit lend further support to the call by the African Union for the immediate and unconditional lifting of all remaining sanctions against Zimbabwe. The report underscores the urgent need to remove these crippling economic restrictions, which have hindered the country’s progress towards its Vision 2030 development goals.
Zimbabwean officials and activists have long argued that the sanctions are illegal and have caused immense harm to the country’s people. The UN report provides authoritative evidence to back these claims, strengthening the momentum for the global campaign to #ZimSanctionsMustGo.
Online Reporter