The United States of America, through its Embassy in Harare, has reiterated its stance that corruption and mismanagement, not sanctions, are negatively impacting on Zimbabwe’s economy.
The US insisted that it is its desire to have a deeper engagement with Harare and to see Zimbabwe prosper but this can only happen when the latter upholds the rule of law and respects its citizens’ right. The Embassy said:
Zimbabwe falls short of its potential due to corruption and mismanagement by those in power and the government’s abuse of its own citizens, not targeted sanctions.
The path forward to prosperity and deeper engagement with the United States and the international community requires progress on these goals.
The Zimbabwean government has set the goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2030.
To get there, it should fulfil its promises of upholding the rule of law, fighting corruption, respecting human rights, and fully implementing Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution.
The US Embassy in Harare has also published what it calls facts about its sanctions on Zimbabwe. It said:
The sanctions list is a living document: Since 2003, the U.S. government has sanctioned more than 130 individuals and 60 companies under the Zimbabwe programs.
During this time, it has also removed about 1/3 of the individuals and several of the companies from the list.
Individuals on the list may petition for removal, and U.S. persons may apply for licenses to do business with sanctioned individuals and companies.
U.S. sanctions only target those who engage in corruption, violate human rights, and undermine democratic processes in Zimbabwe.
The Government of Zimbabwe as a whole is not subject to U.S. sanctions. Only 83 individuals and 37 companies, in a country of over 15 million, are targeted by sanctions.