Political Reporter
The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures, Dr Alena Douhan, has called for the immediate removal of the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West.
Douhan, who was in the country from the 18th of this month, implored the US and other western countries to remove the illegal embargoes and hold dialogue with the Zimbabwean authorities to mend their differences.
“The US and other states should lift sanctions on targeted individuals and entities and end over compliance. The time is ripe for sanctioning states and key national stakeholders to engage in meaningful structured dialogue on political reforms, human rights and the rule of law and abandon rhetoric on sanctions as an advocacy tool,” said Douhan.
The Special Rapporteur added that the illegal sanctions had exacerbated pre-existing social and economic challenges with devastating consequences for the people of Zimbabwe, especially those living with disabilities, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
“Over the last 20 years, sanctions and various forms of over compliance with sanctions have had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitisation, education and employment,” said Douhan.
Douhan further highlighted that the illegal sanctions limit Zimbabwe’s ability to guarantee the functioning of public institutions, delivery of services, and maintenance of essential infrastructure and also undermines the right to development of the Zimbabwean people. She said sanctions impedes the achievement of the sustainable development goals.
Douhan said that the illegal sanctions were fuelling corruption and money laundering and over reliance in the informal sector, hence they should be removed. She added that due to sanctions, many companies as well as foreign banks applied heavy penalties for breaching sanctions and this has resulted in inefficient high cost bank transactions, serious challenges in accessing credit lines as well as major disruptions in supply chains.
During her ten day tour of Zimbabwe, Dr Douhan visited Harare and Bulawayo, and held meetings with Government officials, members of the civil society, trade unions, faith based organisations, political parties, private companies, diplomatic corps and other stakeholders, with the intention of assessing the impact of sanctions on the country.
Dr Douhan is expected to present her full report on the impact of sanctions on Zimbabwe during the Human Right Council to be held in September next year.
