Senegalese President Macky Sall and the current chairman of the African Union has demanded a lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe in his address to the 77th UN General Assembly in New York.
President Sall said the measures against Zimbabwe were worsening the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Citing a lack of democratic progress, human rights reforms as well as restrictions on press freedoms, the US and the European Union (EU) maintain sanctions on Zimbabwe.
The sanctions target both specific individuals and companies including President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zimbabwe’s economy has faced deep economic crises over the past few years with periods of hyperinflation. Many experts say there’s little evidence to suggest that the sanctions are responsible.
President Sall was the first African leader to address the General Assembly. He urged the Security Council to address conflicts in Africa with the urgency it addressed other conflicts.
He also called for reforms in the council that would make it more inclusive and possibly grant Africa a permanent seat; he added that Africa be granted a seat in the G20 group, which includes leaders of the world’s 20 major economies.
More African leaders are expected to address the UN general assembly on Wednesday on the second day of the high-level engagements.