The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has
reiterated its call for Western countries to lift sanctions imposed on
Zimbabwe, saying the embargo was limiting private sector investment and
hindering the country’s reform agenda.
The call was made by Sadc executive secretary Dr Stergomena
Lawrence Tax when she met the US Charge d ‘Affairs in Botswana, Ms Kali Jones,
on Monday.
The call, which comes a few days after Sadc Chairman and
Namibian President Hage Geingob threw the region’s weight behind President
Mnangagwa’s administration, flies in the face of MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson
Chamisa, who is reportedly out of the country on a so-called diplomatic
offensive to “sensitise the continent on the situation in Zimbabwe.”
The opposition leader and his adjuncts in the
non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector have been, without success, calling
for the vilification and isolation of Zimbabwe by Sadc, the African Union (AU)
and entire global community for alleged human rights violations.
Dr Tax said the illegal embargo was inhibiting Zimbabwe
from accessing financial assistance from multilateral institutions.
“Great meeting with the USA,” she posted on her Twitter
handle. “Reiterated Sadc call to the international community to lift
economic sanctions to Zimbabwe, which deny Zimbabwe access to finance from
Multilateral & Private Institutions, and affect the country’s development.”
Details of the meeting were also outlined on the Sadc
website. It says: “H.E. Dr Tax reiterated Sadc’s call for the
international community to lift socio-economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe,
which she said continue to deny Zimbabwe access to finance from Multilateral
Financial Institutions and Private Financed Institutions and Capital Markets to
support the country’s development agenda. On this point, H.E. Dr Tax added that
the economic sanctions have led to limited private sector investment into the
country.
“The Sadc Executive Secretary was accompanied by the Sadc
Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs, Ambassador Joseph Nourrice,
Mr Habib Kambanga, Head of Regional Early Warning Centre (REWC), Representing
the Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs. The Charge
d’ Affairs was accompanied by Ms Elizabeth O’Rourke, Political Officer at the
US Embassy in Botswana.”
Recently, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta called for the removal of the sanctions against
Harare for economic development to take place.
In a statement last week, SADC Chairperson and Namibian
President Hage Geingob said: “The Consultative Meeting of the Southern Africa
Development Community (SADC) heads of State and Government, held on 9 February
2019, received a briefing from His Excellency, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa, President
of the Republic of Zimbabwe, on the current political and socio-economic
developments in the country.
“The SADC Heads of State and Government noticed that since
coming to power, the new Government of Zimbabwe has continued with concerted efforts
to address socio-economic challenges and transform the economy, particularly
through the Zimbabwe Transitional Stabilisation Programme (2018-2020), and to
consolidate unity and peace in the country.”
President Geingob said SADC was aware of the hidden hand
trying to derail Zimbabwe’s economic reform agenda. Herald
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