Professor, it was a pleasure to see you speaking against sanctions on the 3ktVZim program, on the repeal of ZDERA. It was long overdue. Nevertheless, I felt that you advanced a few inaccuracies in your presentation, which I feel I should correct, to help our people understand the sanctions better.
Firstly, you drove the notion that βZimbabweβ is still under sanctions. This is incorrect because the sanctions that were on Zimbabwe [the nation] were called executive order sanctions EO13288, EO13391 and EO13469, which were revoked by Biden on the 4th of May, 2024. This was pursuant to the cancellation of the three national emergencies that were declared on Zimbabwe by George Bush in 2003, 2005 and 2008 respectively.
To complete the revocation, a week after March 4, Biden removed Code Federal Regulations (CFR) 541 which gave effect to the sanctions. So, when this happened, sanctions on Zimbabwe, its government and civilians were effectively ended.
Joe Biden then instituted new sanctions on seven individuals who include the President, his wife, Vice President, Minister of defense, Kuda Tagwirei, his wife, Obey Chimuka and three companies. I always say that these sanctions were the U.S. saving face by making it seem like their sanctions were legitimate but mis-targeted. More critically, it was an indication that reengagement had failed but other factors coerced Biden to remove them i.e. the Congress report asking Biden to remove sanctions because they were hurting civilians -after contacting me and I asked them to undertake a human rights impact assessment of their sanctions. Then there was ZASMβs court case in SA.
We then come to you referring to ZDERA as sanctions. ZDERA is not a sanction but an act created by the U.S. Congress to ask the U.S. President to use his executive powers to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe.
You went further to state that ZDERA imposes sanctions by instructing U.S. directors in multilateral lending institutions, to deny Zimbabwe loans or debt cancellation. This is a misreading because Zimbabwe was first denied multilateral loans in September of 1999 by the International Development Association, followed by the IMF in November the same year and then the World Bank in February of 2000. This was a whole two years before ZDERA.
The loans that were withheld were pre-approved ESAP loans for infrastructure, transportation and healthcare. This means that US directors and some from other nations, voted for Zimbabwe to be denied loans, prior to ZDERA, after what they said to be Zimbabweβs contravention of ESAP by deploying soldiers to Congo. So ZDERA was not used to deny Zimbabwe loans, as loans were denied prior to the act.
Yes, the act then enjoins US directors not to vote for Zimbabwe to get loans or debt cancellation, however, these restrictions existed prior to ZDERA. As such, ZDERA is not the author of Zimbabwe being denied loans, it merely rubber-stamps a preexisting order, to coax Zimbabwe to reform to ZDERA conditions, if it wants loans.
You further say that ZDERA tacitly prohibits investment in Zimbabwe. Not true! The prohibition of investment in Zimbabwe was expressed in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act which was instituted the moment national emergencies were declared on Zimbabweans and the government. You also find it codified in Section III and IV of the Zimbabwe Sanctions Program document which prohibits payment clearances, investment, the giving of software or material assistance to the Zimbabwean government and the special designated nationals on the sanctions lists. All are gone.
I hope this helps you understand sanctions better. Yes, people may joke about how I claim to have removed sanctions singlehandedly, but I am one of the few experts in the area, hence I was mandated by the President to do what others couldnβt. Itβs also why I am flown to other countries to assist with their sanctions. #TheFixer
Written by the Chairman of ZASM, Rutendo Bereza Matinyarare. https://zimbabweantisanctionsmovement.org/πππ§-π π-ππ¦π¦ππ¦π§-π¬π’π¨-π’π‘/
