The Chronicle
Zimbabwe has made another major engagement and re-engagement breakthrough following the announcement that the Delegation of the European Union to Zimbabwe is exhibiting at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
The EU Member States have in the past participated at the ZITF as individual countries and this is the first time that they are exhibiting as a block. ZITF Company chairman Mr Busisa Moyo said the participation of the EU block is testimony to the success of the Second Republic’s engagement and re-engagement policy.
Mr Moyo said apart from showcasing products from Member States, the EU block is expected to use the platform to explain the various programmes it is running in and with Zimbabwe. He said the coming in of the EU as a block was confirmation of the success of the ZITF’s economic diplomacy which is critical in attracting fresh investments and growing the economy.
President MnangagwaAddressing ambassadors and international organisations accredited to Zimbabwe last February, President Mnangagwa said the country’s engagements and re-engagement efforts were bearing fruit as evidenced by the partial removal of illegal sanctions by the EU.
“We are optimistic that the remaining punitive and inhibitive illegal sanctions will be removed. I am grateful that our African brothers continue to stand with us in our call for the immediate and unconditional removal of illegal sanctions,” he said.
We have said it before that given the ongoing political and economic reforms as well as the engagement and re-engagement efforts, there is no justification to continue maintaining the illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Call for the unconditional removal of sanctions have come from Sadc, the AU, China, Cuba and the Non-Aligned Movement. All those calling for the unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions are agreed that the sanctions are adversely affecting Zimbabwe’s efforts to grow its economy and improve the welfare of its people. The coming in of the EU to participate at the ZITF this year as a block is a major breakthrough and should send a clear message to all that Zimbabwe is ready to join the community of nations.
Government has said Zimbabwe strives to be a friend to all and enemy to none. We want to once again call on those still maintaining the illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe to listen to the voice of reason coming from different corners of the globe and remove the sanctions.
