PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa Friday called upon foreign ambassadors accredited to Zimbabwe to use their influences outside the country to help push for the complete scrapping of Western imposed sanctions on the country.
Mnangagwa was presiding over Friday’s anti-sanctions march organised by his government in Harare and other parts of the country.
“To the ambassadors accredited to Zimbabwe, you live, work and walk among us,” he said.
“These sanctions affect you too and you have seen their far-reaching effects on our people.
“We invite you to stand with the ordinary people of Zimbabwe and truthfully about the developments in our country.”
The US and European Union 2001 and 2003 imposed a travel embargo and asset freeze on then President Robert Mugabe, his inner circle and firms accused of aiding the stifling of democracy in the country.
Since the time, the country has seen its demands for the scrapping of the measures ignored by Western powers.
Zimbabwe has managed to rope in its SADC allies to help amplify its voice calling for the lifting of the embargo following a regional agreement among the neighbours to set aside Friday 25 October as the day the entire region was going to collectively call for their scrapping.
In his message, Mnangagwa called on all ambassadors to help his country push for the removal of sanctions.
Said the President, “We urge you to carry our message of goodwill to your capitals and to pass on our call for them to respond to the new realities in our country, and review their policies that do not serve the purpose of progressive cooperation with Zimbabwe.
“A Zimbabwe free from sanctions is a better and more valuable partner to you all.”
Mnangagwa’s call came at a time US and US ambassadors urged Zimbabwean authorities to stop looking beyond their own acts of commission and omission when blaming the West for the continued imposition of the measures.
Western countries are adamant only a change of behaviour from the current impunity, massive corruption, poll theft will relieve the troubled country from sanctions.
