The United States Of America has lifted all sanctions targeted at Individuals in Zimbabwe.
The sanctions had been placed on a number of individuals, mostly senior government and ruling party officials, after the US accused them of involvement in or enabling human rights abuses at the height of Zimbabwe’s land reform programme as well as after the 2008 post election violence that rocked the country.
The sanctions were also placed on entities, such as banks and companies, that the US government said enabled the abuse of human rights in the Southern African country of 15million.
The White house released a statement on the US Government’s official website and it reads as follows…
“Executive Order on the Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Situation in Zimbabwe
” By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 etseq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
” I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, find that the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13288 of March 6, 2003, with respect to the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions, as relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13391 of November 22, 2005, and as expanded by Executive Order 13469 of July 25, 2008, should no longer be in effect. Although I continue to be concerned with the situation in Zimbabwe, particularly with respect to acts of violence and other human rights abuses against political opponents and with respect to public corruption, including misuse of public authority, the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13288 is no longer needed. Accordingly, I hereby terminate the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288, and revoke that order, Executive Order 13391, and Executive Order 13469, and further order:
“Section 1. Pursuant to section 202(a) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1622(a)), termination of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288, as relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13391, and as expanded by Executive Order 13469, shall not affect any action taken or proceeding pending not finally concluded or determined as of the date of this order, any action or proceeding based on any act committed prior to the date of this order, or any rights or duties that matured or penalties that were incurred prior to the date of this order.
” Sec. 2. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
” (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
” (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
“(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
” (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
“JOSEPH B. BIDEN JR.
“THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 4, 2024.”
The sanctions relief will certainly come as good news to a country whose economy has been battered by decades of sanctions, mismanagement, corruption and hyper inflation among others.
The White house statement however remains mum on ZIDERA, which a more wider and encompassing in nature.
ZIDERA, which is short for Zimbabwe Democracy And Economic Recovery Act, was enacted in 2001, at the height of the Southern African country’s often violent land reform programme, which sought to to correct historic injustices in land ownership in the country where the white minority owned the bulk of the nation’s most fertile lands, whilst the majority black population was forced to mostly arid and unfertile areas.