The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Government of Namibia has reaffirmed their stance against the illegal sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe, noting that the sanctions are of a unilateral character.
US President Mr Joe Biden this week 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administered by the US Office of Foreign Assets control (OFAC) pursuant to the Zimbabwe sanctions programme are no longer in effect.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.
In a statement, Namibian Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Peya Mushelenga said as a government they did not recognise Unilateral Coercive Measures adopted without authorization of the United Nations Security Council
“The economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western Countries are of a unilateral character and Namibia urges constructive engagement that promote dialogue and cooperation to address issues of mutual interest and concern between and among sovereign states.
“The Government of the Republic of Namibia further notes that the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe has been seized with inclusive and forward-looking initiatives aimed at broad-based economic transformation, an ongoing process deserving of the collective support of the international community,” said Dr Mushelenga.
The Minister further revealed that they viewed the continued imposition of the economic sanctions, in whatever form or guise, as counter-productive and hindering the Republic of Zimbabwe from realising her immense economic potential.
“The prevailing sanctions further continue to compound spillover effects across the SADC region.
Against this background, the Government of the Republic of Namibia reaffirms its longstanding unequivocal call, coupled by that of the entire SADC region and the African Union, in reiterating the immediate and unconditional lifting of all unilateral, illegal economic and financial sanctions imposed by some Western Countries against the people and Government of the sister Republic of Zimbabwe.
“The Government of the Republic of Namibia stands united with the SADC region and the entire African Union in its full support of Zimbabwe’s immediate reintegration into the global financial system,” said Dr Mushelenga.
