WASHINGTON — The United States has extended restrictive measures imposed on senior ruling Zanu PF officials and companies, which were set to expire this month.
VOA
The extension was made in a notice signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, which stressed that the situation in Zimbabwe had not yet transformed following the removal of Robert Mugabe from power.
“In November 2017, dynamics within the factionalised ruling party of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party, reached a head. Facing impeachment, Robert Mugabe resigned,” said the notice.
“The subsequent change in government has offered an extraordinary opportunity for Zimbabwe to set itself on a new path toward implementing reforms that could allow the United States to re-engage in ways not previously possible.
“Concrete actions must follow President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa’s stated intentions to carry out political and economic reforms.
“The actions and policies of certain members of the government of Zimbabwe and other persons, however, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States.
“Therefore, to respond to this persisting threat, I have determined that it is necessary to continue this national emergency and to maintain in force the sanctions.”
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Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 USC 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days before the anniversary date of its declaration, the president publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.
Trump issued this order in accordance with this provision, stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288 of March 6 2003, with respect to the actions and policies of certain members of the government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions is to continue in effect beyond March 6 2018.
Mnangagwa, some army generals and others, who participated in the unseating of Mugabe last year, are under targeted sanctions for alleged human rights abuses and election rigging.
The renewal of the sanctions would deal a major blow to the Zanu PF leader’s efforts to engineer a quick economic turnaround, which is anchored on an aggressive strategy to woo foreign investors
