The United States (US) has extended its sanctions on Zimbabwe, a month after the European Union (EU) did the same.
In a statement, US President Joe Biden said this was done because Zimbabwe's gross human rights and democratic principles disregard are a threat to the US' foreign policy.
Biden wrote:
The actions and policies of certain members of the government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe's democratic processes or institutions continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States.
"For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 6, 2003, and the measures adopted on that date, on November 22, 2005, and on July 25, 2008, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2022. Therefore, in accordance with Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for one year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288," reads Biden's statement to US Congress.
In 2001, the US Congress passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (Zedera) to provide for a transition to democracy and to promote economic recovery.
In its justification, the US said: "President Emmerson Mnangagwa has not made the necessary political and economic reforms that would warrant terminating the existing targeted sanctions programme."
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