"We Are Children Of The Great Munhumutapa", Sanctions Will Not Stop Zimbabwe's Development - Mnangagwa
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said Zimbabwe must strive to thrive despite the difficulties the nation is currently facing due to sanctions imposed by Western countries, particularly the United States of America.
Speaking to businesspeople at the Second Edition of the ED Mnangagwa Business Summit held in the capital Harare on Friday, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe has been resilient for more than two decades under sanctions.
He also scoffed at claims by U.S. officials that the Zimbabwe Development and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA) is not a sanction and that Zimbabweโs economic problems were caused by mismanagement and widespread corruption. Mnangagwa said (via Business Times):
Despite the challenges that we are facing, due to the continued illegal and heinous sanctions from the United States of America, we must push the frontiers of our countryโs success and prosperity. This task and burden rests upon us as Zimbabweans.
We have been resilient for the last 23 years under sanctions, and no amount of propaganda, under whatever guise, will fool us.
All forms of illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe must be immediately and unconditionally removed.
These sanctions are illegal, unjustified, and cruel to all the people of Zimbabweโฆ
We have come this far under sanctions, we have realised unprecedented success milestones and registered indisputable GDP growth; we shall keep marching forward.
We are a resilient people and the descendants of the Great Munhumutapa. Against all odds, we are realising prosperity and a higher quality of life for our people.
The United States imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2001 due to concerns related to human rights abuses, corruption, and undermining democratic processes.
The sanctions targeted specific individuals and entities associated with these violations and were aimed to block the assets of those involved and restrict their travel to the United States.
President Joe Biden recently signed an Executive Order terminating the national emergency with respect to Zimbabwe, effectively revoking Zimbabwe-specific sanctions.
However, on 04 March 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasuryโs Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 11 individuals, including Mnangagwa, and three entities for their alleged involvement in corruption or serious human rights abuse.
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