UN: Sanctions Not Only To Blame For Zim's Economic Problems

The United Nations (UN) said Zimbabwe’s economic challenges can not be solely blamed on sanctions imposed by the United States of America (US) and the European Union (EU).

Speaking to NewsDay from the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, President of the UN General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, said:

I happen to know the country as well as an outsider can, but I do know the country. Zimbabwe has struggled to address its issues and it is not really blaming just one thing but it’s one factor which it wishes was taken off the table to allow it to make more progress.

… What we need to do is to encourage that openness and address the problems of the economy.

The US imposed sanctions targeted on 144 individuals and companies. 141 of the sanctioned entities and individuals are listed in the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act passed by the US government.

Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Tanzanian Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, his wife Chido Machona and State Security minister, Owen Ncube — were only added to the sanctions list this year.

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