Staff ReporterThe Zimbabwean government has issued a strong rebuke to the United States over sanctions imposed since the early 2000s, calling for their complete and unconditional removal. This response follows a recent announcement by President Joseph R. Biden intending to rescind certain sanctions – a move Zimbabwe has deemed inadequate.
In a press statement dated March 6, the Zimbabwean authorities have articulated their position on the U.S. sanctions, which were initially installed as part of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA). They describe these measures as “illegal” and an affront to the sovereignty of Zimbabwe as an independent nation under international law.
The press release criticizes the U.S. for unilateral actions and for what it describes as a series of illegal executive orders affecting the country’s economic stability and development. The Zimbabwean government has challenged the U.S. to produce evidence supporting the sanctions and calls the punitive policies a vestige of colonialism.
Zimbabwe’s statement acknowledges the gesture by the U.S. to revoke some of the sanctions but demands a full rescission, underscoring the sanctions’ two-decade impact on their nation. The government insists that the measures were baseless and malign the country and its leaders without due process or just cause.
The statement further expresses gratitude to regional bodies and allies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) for their support against what it calls “coercive U.S. measures.”
The release concludes with a defiant tone, asserting Zimbabwe’s commitment to defending its sovereignty and pursuing its own path free from external pressures. The Zimbabwean government emphasizes the principle of being “a friend to all, an enemy to none,” and extends solidarity to other nations impacted by similar external sanctions.
For further details on the evolving diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and the United States, refer to the full press release available through the Department of Presidential Communications, Zimbabwe.
