WASHINGTON D.C., United States – United States President Donald Trump renewed sanctions on Zimbabwe on Monday, blaming President Emmerson Mnangagwa for failing to implement important reforms and running a flawed election.
The United States has maintained the sanctions since 2003, and in a letter to the Senate, Trump the “actions and policies of certain members of the government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States.”
“Zimbabwe’s national elections in July 2018 offered an opportunity for Zimbabwe to set itself on a new path and to implement reforms that could allow the United States to re-engage in ways not previously possible,” Trump said.
“While the election itself was an improvement over past elections, post-election violence, credible reports of intimidation and clear bias of the electoral commission kept it from being fully free and fair. President Mnangagwa’s administration has yet to implement the political and economic overhaul required to rebuild its reputation within the international community and dramatically improve its relationship with the United States.”
The renewal of the sanctions for another year will come as a blow to the Zimbabwe government which says the stigma of sanctions is keeping foreign investors away while blocking access to much-needed financial bailouts from the West.
“I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288 with respect to Zimbabwe and to maintain in force the sanctions to respond to this threat,” Trump added.
