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Zimbabwe yesterday paid tribute to African countries for their solidarity in calling for the unequivocal removal of illegal sanctions imposed on the country as it joined the rest of the continent to commemorate Africa Day.

Zimbabwe

Sadc Heads of State and Government in 2019 proclaimed 25 October as a day of solidarity with the Zimbabwean people against sanctions.

On this day member states engage in different activities to mark the Sadc Anti-Sanctions Day.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the Government of Zimbabwe expresses its unreserved gratitude to the AU and Sadc for initiating the now widely embraced 25th October Anti Sanctions Day.

She said the people of Zimbabwe are very thankful that the continent finds value in Zimbabwe’s cause for the unequivocal removal of the illegal sanctions.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the support by African countries resonates with the Pan-African anti-colonial agency enforced through the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

African Union

She said as the country commemorates Africa Day, it also celebrates the illustrious role of the Pan-African conscious media players who have lobbied for Afro-centred information sharing and in the process strengthening the synergies of the continent and its diaspora.

Sadc, the AU and the rest of the progressive world are agreed that illegal sanctions have had devastating effects on the lives of Zimbabweans.

Sadc has said the lifting of the sanctions will facilitate Zimbabwe’s socio-economic recovery and enable the country to meet its national and regional economic development plans as well as effectively manage its international obligations.

Zimbabwe has, as a result of the illegal sanctions, been finding it difficult to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) which is key in global rebuilding of economies.

The sanctions increase the perception that Zimbabwe is in the high-risk profile category thereby diminishing the credibility of investment and investor confidence while exacerbating investment risks.

Apart from discouraging foreign investors from coming to Zimbabwe, the sanctions have seen many local companies failing to retool or get working capital.

It is a fact that the sanctions have not only affected Zimbabwe but the entire Sadc region.

We want at this juncture to appeal to Africa and the rest of the progressive world not to tire in their push for the unequivocal removal of the illegal sanctions.

World Economic Forum (WEF)

This year’s Africa Day is being commemorated when African countries are in Davos, Switzerland attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) where they are expected to present one position regarding how their resources should be exploited and back home, African countries are gathered in Zimbabwe to come up with one position regarding the management of wildlife to be presented to the forthcoming CITES in Panama.