THE United Nations Special Rapporteur on unilateral and coersive measures, Alena Douhan has called for the lifting of unilateral sanctions against Zimbabwe and urged sanctioning states and key national stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue on political reform, human rights and the rule of law.

The United Nations envoy has recommended that the West should lift targeted sanctions imposed on Zanu PF officials, saying the targeted measures are harming the country’s economy.

In a statement, the UN Human Rights said, “Over the past 20 years, sanctions and various forms of over-compliance with sanctions has had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitation…”

Quoting the statement, Information secretary, Nick Mangwana noted that “ … the UN Special Rapporteur has made an emphatic call for the removal of Illegal and coercive Sanctions against Zimbabwe. There is no sane Zimbabwean who can insist on their retention.”
The West imposed targeted sanctions on Zanu PF official citing serious cases of human rights violations and election rigging.