The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has reiterated its call for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe, saying it is deeply concerned by the claim that sanctions imposed on the Republic of Zimbabwe by western powers are of a “targeted nature”, aimed at unilaterally punishing a few individuals.
The SADC Chairperson and Democratic Republic of Congo President, Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo, reaffirmed the 16-member regional bloc’s solidarity with the Government and people of Zimbabwe and reiterated calls for the unconditional and immediate lifting of the sanctions that were imposed on Zimbabwean individuals and institutions.
Tshisekedi said the reality of the sanctions is that there is a spill-over and contagion effect on the rest of the country, in particular by imposing a blanket negative perception about Zimbabwe across the world, moreso in the sensitive global financial markets.
This perception results in the country being unable to attract the much-needed Foreign Direct Investment, lines of credit and other financial services that are essential to the socio-economic development of the country.