Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The Citizens Against Economic Sanctions (CAES) Zimbabwe has rejected ongoing moves in the United States Congress to repeal the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) under what it describes as “stringent and politicised” conditions.
The organisation warned that the proposed repeal, reported to be tied to demands for Zimbabwe to settle billions in compensation related to former commercial farmers and clear arrears under US-defined terms, amounts to continued economic coercion.
In a statement, CAES said such conditionality undermines Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and perpetuates external control over the country’s access to international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
“What is being presented as a repeal is, in fact, an extraction,” CAES national spokesperson, Simphiwe Vuyelwa Mguni, said.
“It is Washington demanding payment before it returns what it has unjustly withheld for over two decades access to credit, development finance, and economic dignity.”
Enacted in 2001, ZIDERA has been the legal framework used by the United States to block Zimbabwe’s access to multilateral funding, citing political and economic reforms.
CAES argues that the law has inflicted widespread suffering, stifled development, and punished ordinary citizens.
“To now turn around and demand compensation from Zimbabwe before lifting restrictions is not only morally bankrupt but also a grotesque inversion of justice.
“This is not generosity. It is leverage disguised as largesse.” she said
She called for an unconditional removal of ZIDERA accompanied by genuine debt relief and development support.
CAES called on African regional blocs, including the African Union, to demand full transparency regarding any legislative moves by the United States and to stand firm against attempts to manipulate Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.
Zimbabwe is pursuing debt clearance and re-engagement with international financial institutions.
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