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Freedom Mupanedemo/ Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau

THE recent partial removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe by the United States of America is “nonsense” and can only become meaningful if these illegal sanctions are removed in totality, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.

While the US claims to have removed some of the illegal sanctions imposed on the country, the fact that they have not removed all of them is “absolute nonsense”.

President Mnangagwa said this in Somabhula near Gweru yesterday following the announcement on Monday of the purported removal of sanctions by the US government against many Zimbabweans and companies.

US President Mr Joe Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) allegedly terminating the national emergency with respect to Zimbabwe and revoking the EOs that have authorised Zimbabwe-specific sanctions.

As a result, the US says the economic sanctions administered by the US Office of Foreign Assets control (OFAC) pursuant to the Zimbabwe sanctions programme are no longer in effect.

Ironically, the same US administration went on to impose new ones on President Mnangagwa and some senior Government officials and businesspeople who have been working on reviving the economy.

The sanctions list was introduced in 2001 when the country embarked on the successful Agrarian programme aimed at addressing land imbalances that existed since the colonisation of the country by Britain.

President Mnangagwa responded to the issue while addressing thousands of villagers from across Midlands Province who attended the historic launch of three ICT policies — namely the Reviewed National ICT Policy, the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Masterplan, and the National Broadband Plan at Somabhula Secondary School in Vungu area outside Gweru.

He said the 24-year-old illegal sanctions regime imposed on Zimbabwe should be unconditionally removed, adding that the United Nations Security Council and the US should do the noble thing and lift them unconditionally.

“The recent announcement by the USA that they were removing sanctions on Zimbabwe remains absolute nonsense if they are partially removed. Those sanctions are illegal and the United Nations Security Council has also declared these sanctions illegal and they must be unconditionally removed,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said removing some sanctions on Zimbabwe while maintaining some was in breach of the UN Security Council protocol.

“As it stands, it remains meaningless and nonsensical. Anything short of total removal of these illegal sanctions is nonsense to us and they should just do the honourable thing and lift these sanctions in their entirety,” said the President.

He said Zimbabwe was a sovereign nation and Washington should not expect applause from Harare adding that Zimbabwe was a friend to all and an enemy to none.

“We will only be pleased if they are removing all the sanctions on Zimbabweans. 

“This will help us grow even better. They must not expect us to smile when they announce that they are removing some sanctions and maintaining some. These sanctions are in their nature illegal and must be removed,” said the President.

President Mnangagwa also called upon Zimbabweans and the African continent at large to remain united in the fight against illegal sanctions.

“We must continue to remain united as Zimbabweans in particular and Africa at large as we fight the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe. Together we will prevail against all odds,” he said.

Despite the sanctions regime on the country, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was forging ahead with development as it has registered a record growth trajectory, a mark above many countries in the Southern Africa.

“I am happy that for the last 24 years we have remained united and even with these unjust sanctions on us, we have developed our country using domestic resources, local expertise and skills.

“We have grown our economy to above four percent GDP with many countries in the region only managing register around 2,4 percent growth rate,” said President Mnangagwa.