GABORONE, Botswana – The Southern African Development Community’s executive secretary pushed back furiously after the United States embassy in Botswana appeared to suggest she agreed with their position that failed economic policies, and not sanctions, were the cause of much of the poverty and suffering in Zimbabwe.

Stergomena Tax, a Tanzanian national, reacted angrily after the United States embassy in Botswana sent out three tweets on Tuesday following her meeting with Ambassador Craig Cloud.

The particular tweet which drew her ire stated: “Ambassador Cloud and @DrTaxs also discussed how failed economic policies and corruption have created the current economic crisis in Zimbabwe. #ItsNotSanctions.”

“This was not part of what was discussed! Might be the position of the embassy, but definitely not SADC’s position,” Tax replied the embassy on Twitter, while tagging Ndavaningi Mangwana, the spokesman for the Zimbabwe government.

In another tweet, the embassy said Cloud and Tax “discussed the root causes of U.S. sanctions in Zimbabwe, namely human rights abuses and anti-democratic efforts.”

Tax was particularly tetchy at the suggestion that she agreed with the United States position, given that SADC last August called for US sanctions on Zimbabwe to be lifted.

Such was her concern about being misunderstood she caused SADC’s Twitter account to put out her own take of the engagement with Cloud – some four hours after the embassy’s tweets.

The SADC secretariat said: “SADC executive secretary @DrTaxs met with the Ambassador of USA to Botswana, H.E. Craig Cloud where @DrTaxs reiterated SADC’s call for the immediate removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe and the need to further engage on reforms that will see a recovery of country’s economy.”

The Zimbabwe government blames US sanctions for the poor performance of the economy, but the United States say the sanctions, in place since 2003, only target individuals responsible for rights abuses.

Cloud, according to the embassy, told Tax that the United States had donated over US$3 billion to Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.