Zimbabwe Youths Urged to Continue Resisting Illegal Sanctions

21 OCTOBER 2021

The Herald (Harare)

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has commended the country's citizens for resisting machinations by the country's detractors to effect regime change through the use of illegal economic sanctions imposed to alienate the people from Zanu PF by the United States and is allies.

The President yesterday told the Zanu PF Politburo that sanctions should be immediately removed as they are illegal, unjustified, and counter-productive.

The call comes after President Mnangagwa this week met with the United Nations special rapporteur, Ms Alena Douhan, who is in the country to assess the impact of unilateral coercive measures on enjoyment of human rights.

She is on a 10-day fact-finding mission whose outcome is expected to give the world a clear picture of the debilitating effects of the illegal sanctions.

The high-profile visit by Ms Douhan follows the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 34/13 of 2017, which stresses that unilateral coercive measures and legislation were contrary to international law, international humanitarian law, the charter and norms and principles governing peaceful relations among states.

President Mnangagwa said the Government will continue calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions which are affecting the general populace.

The Politburo session also coincides with the scaling up of preparations for the Anti-Sanctions Day to be held on October 25.

"Our party and Government will be joined by other SADC member states as we amplify our unequivocal calls for the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on our beloved country.

"The sanctions are illegal, unjustified, counter-productive and continue to hinder the people of Zimbabwe from enjoying their fundamental human rights to enjoy sovereignty, independence, unfettered development and prosperity," said President Mnangagwa.

He urged the youth to be vigilant in defending the country's sovereignty and commended them for remaining resolute in resisting the regime change agenda.

"I commend the nation, particularly our young people, who continue to resist the use of these sanctions and other manoeuvres as tools of regime change," said President Mnangagwa.

Over the past two decades, Zimbabwe has been groaning under the weight of illegal economic sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union (EU) bloc as punishment for the land reform programme meant to address colonial land imbalances.

Since the illegal sanctions were imposed in 2001, Zimbabwe has lost an estimated US$42 billion and an estimated US$4,5 billion in donor support annually for more than two decades.

The country lost US$2 billion in IMF, World Bank, and African Development Bank (AfDB) loans which could have helped in developing infrastructure, as well as losing commercial loans amounting to US$18 billion which could have been extended to the private sector and other companies.

SADC member-states have since declared October 25 as Anti-Sanctions Day as the region exerts pressure on the US and its allies to remove the illegal sanctions choking Zimbabwe's development.