Tanzania president John Magufuli, the new SADC Chairman has appealed to the international community to scrap sanctions against Zimbabwe, saying the country has already opened a new page and is ready to move forward.

Speaking during his maiden acceptance speech after assuming the SADC chairmanship, he said the problems that face Zimbabwe, literally face all countries in the region. “Zimbabwe has been under sanctions for years, but we need the world to understand that when you chop a hand, the whole body gets affected,” he added.

He appealed to the international community to lift sanctions it imposed on Zimbabwe and called for other SADC member states to stand together to make sure that sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West are lifted. President Magufuli said the sanction has not only been hurting Zimbabweans but people from the entire bloc.

“We should unite to support Zimbabwe against sanctions imposed by western countries because they (sanctions) are hurting Zimbabweans and people from across member states,” he said.

Zimbabwe is still subject to U.S. sanctions that date back to the reign of former President Robert Mugabe who was ousted in late 2017 after 38 years in power. The country is already reeling from annual inflation that hit 176% in June, the highest globally after Venezuela. Authorities won’t release annual figures for six months until February, although persistent shortages of fuel and bread suggest inflation hasn’t waned.