The United Nations Special Rapporteur, Alena Douhan says Zimbabwe’s government must engage in “meaningful, structured dialogue” with the international community and key interest groups in the country so as to promote political reforms, human rights and the rule of law.
Douhan was in Zimbabwe for a 10 day invitation by the government which blames the country’s prolonged economic crisis on sanctions.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur blamed Western countries for placing Zimbabwe on economic sanctions and urged the Zimbabwean government to engage on dialogue.
“The United States and other states should lift their sanctions on targeted individuals and entities, and end over compliance,
“Time is ripe for the sanctioning states and key national stakeholders to engage in a meaningful structured dialogue on political reform, human rights and the rule of law and abandon rhetoric on sanctions as an advocacy tool,” Douhan said.
The United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom on Monday denied that sanctions on Zimbabwean elites accused of human rights abuses and corruption, as well as the state arms firm, are the cause of Zimbabwe’s economic regression.
“Blaming sanctions is a convenient scapegoat to distract the public from the real reasons behind Zimbabwe’s economic challenges – corruption, economic mismanagement, and failure to respect human rights and uphold the rule of law,” the United States embassy said.
“Let’s get this straight: the UK imposed asset freezes and a UK travel ban earlier this year on five individuals for corruption and serious human rights abuses. The UK has no economic sanctions on Zimbabwe.
“The UK and Zimbabwe have a bilateral trade deal which gives Zimbabwe duty and quota-free access to UK markets. Zimbabwe’s economy has serious challenges but it’s not sanctions. Investors say there are steps Zimbabwe could take to improve its business climate and grow FDI – enacting currency reforms, guaranteeing property rights and investors’ ability to obtain legal redress via the courts.” Agreed the United Kingdom embassy.
Ms Alena Douhan arrived in the country on 18 October and her visit on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights in Zimbabwe ends today.
