(2 minutes read)
· The US has renewed targeted sanctions against President
Emmerson Mnangagwa and his administration for tardy implementation of
reforms for stabilizing the economy
· After the national elections in July 2018 and subsequent
death of former President Mugabe in September 2019, the southern
African country could have adopted a reform path, which would have
helped its citizens.
The US has renewed targeted sanctions against President Emmerson
Mnangagwa and his administration for tardy implementation of reforms
for stabilizing the economy and its lack of initiative to open up a
healthy dialogue with the United States. The terse message posted on
the Whitehouse website mentioned that the measures taken against the
Government of Zimbabwe and other persons accused of undermining
democratic processes in Harare would continue beyond March 6, 2020.
The US alleges that Zimbabwe had ample opportunity to implement the
reforms. After the national elections in July 2018 and subsequent
death of former President Mugabe in September 2019, the southern
African country could have adopted a reform path, which would have
helped its citizens. Yet, the new political administration has yet to
show any credible political will to implement such reforms, alleges
US, adding that the Zimbabwean government has accelerated its
persecution of critics and economic mismanagement to a higher scale.
It also has conducted extra judicial killings and alleged abductions
of numerous dissidents.
The US charge is that such actions are carried out by members of the
government to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic process and such
institutions would pose threat to the foreign policy of the United
States. The order would further elongate the hardships of the
Southern African country, which was looking for a reprieve for some
time to come out of the difficult situation it has caught up. Some of
the African countries like South Africa, Nigeria etc have also urged
the US to lift the sanctions and economic blockades on Zimbabwe,
mentioning that it hurt mostly the common man. It seems that such
appeals have fallen flat.