Africa Press-Nigeria:
Government has welcomed recent calls by top United Nations officials for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe and other countries in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic that is ravaging the world.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet last week called on the international community, principally the US, to roll back sanctions imposed on many countries, with Zimbabwe being one of them.
They said such embargoes were hampering the fight against the pandemic that has so far killed over 36 000 people and infected at least 800 000 worldwide.
In a statement yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo said the removal of sanctions was essential.
“The two leaders encouraged the waiving of sanctions imposed on countries like Zimbabwe to ensure that they access food, essential health supplies and Covid-19 medical support,” he said.
“The Government welcomes the UN observation that sanctions have a debilitating impact on the health sector and that, in the context of a global pandemic, impeding medical efforts in one country heightens the risk for all of us. It must be recalled that this has always been Zimbabwe’s, SADC’s and the AU’s message.”
Minister Moyo said many countries had acknowledged that sanctions were contrary to the UN Charter and the principle of the sovereign equality of states.
He said the sanctions undermined international free trade by interfering with the right of third party countries and private entities to make their own decisions on trading with the affected countries.
“It is common knowledge that the performance of the Zimbabwean economy has been constrained due to the phenomenon of sanctions which have worked to worsen the socio-economic environment, with the poor and the vulnerable groups being the hardest hit,” said Minister Moyo.
