United States Senator Says Anti-sanctions Marches Are A Waste Of Time
A member of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, R-Idaho, has outlined what Zimbabwe needs to do for sanctions to be removed.
In 2021, the U.S. government passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA) in response to alleged human rights violations.
Under the law, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury instructed the U.S. executive director of each international financial institution to “oppose and vote against” any extension by the respective institution of any loan credit, or guarantee to the Government of Zimbabwe.
ZDERA also bars U.S. officials from supporting any cancellation or reduction of indebtedness owed by the Government of Zimbabwe to the United States or any international financial institution.
Posting on Twitter on Wednesday, Senator Risch said the sanctions will only be removed after the Government of Zimbabwe embarks on genuine democratic reforms and stops abusing its citizens. He said:
#SADC’s #Zimbabwe anti-sanctions day was a day of solidarity for #Zim’s most corrupt #humanrights abusers. Despite their self-serving efforts, sanctions remain. A change will only occur when the gov’t embarks on genuine democratic reforms and stops abusing its citizens.
On 25 October, now the SADC Anti-sanctions Day, the government sponsored anti-sanctions marches across the country calling for the removal of the restrictions.
The Chairperson of SADC, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who is the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, also issued a statement calling for the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
