Zimbabwe Free To Trade With The United States - U.S. Embassy Official
Elaine French, the Chargé d’Affaires at the United States of America Embassy in Zimbabwe said the imposition of sanctions on 11 Zimbabweans including President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga does not impede her country’s ability to invest or trade with Zimbabwe.
Speaking in an interview with AB Communications Editor-in-Chief Moses Matenga on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) where the Embassy was exhibiting, French said the designation of the 11 individuals creates an opportunity for the government to address human rights abuses and promote good governance.
On March 4, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden terminated the Zimbabwe sanctions programme while the country’s Treasury imposed fresh restrictive measures under the Global Magnitsky Act of 2016 tightening sanctions on Mnangagwa and and 10 other individuals.
Matenga asked French about the various interpretations regarding Biden’s announcement in March and inquired about the current position on sanctions against Zimbabwe after March 4, 2024. In response, French said:
It has come out a lot lately and it’s mainly because on March 4, President Biden announced the termination of the Zimbabwe sanctions programme and he designated 11 individuals and three companies on the sanctions program and we believe here at the US Embassy in Harare that this is really creating an opening for the government to commit to key reforms in particular on human rights abuses and good governance and Anti-Corruption.
We also see this as an opening for business, investors and banking to take a new look at Zimbabwe and see the opportunities here and consider investing in Zimbabwe.
The US Embassy is doing its best by trying to engage and educate US businesses and banking on what sanctions are and are not.
This new approach (on sanctions) is a global sanctions programme that the United States has around the world.
Honestly speaking, just because we have individuals on the list does not impede our ability to invest or trade with these countries.
Asked to comment on the Zimbabwean government’s assertion that retaining Mnangagwa on the sanctions list betrays the claims that there are no more sanctions against Zimbabwe at the moment, French reiterated the United States Embassy’s stance that there are not and have never been sanctions on the country of Zimbabwe or the people of Zimbabwe. She added:
The Zimbabwe Sanctions Programme had an extensive list of companies and individuals. This new designation only has 11 individuals and three companies.
We do not believe that 11 individuals and three companies equate to 16 million people. We cannot have 11 individuals undermine the capacity of the productivity of 16 million Zimbabweans.
We really feel they are creating a false narrative. We really feel that 16 million Zimbabweans can do a lot to trade with the US.
We really feel strongly that the majority of Zimbabweans are free to trade with the United States.
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