The United States announced on Monday March 4 new sanctions against several senior leaders of Zimbabwe, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa, accused of corruption and human rights violations. These new measures – “ firmer and more targeted » – replace a larger, 20-year-old program against Zimbabwe.
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In total, eleven senior Zimbabwean leaders, including Head of State Emmerson Mnangwaga and his wife, are targeted by these new sanctions. They include freezing any properties in the United States and banning all unofficial travel to the country.
Among the other leaders targeted: the country’s first vice-president Constantino Chiwenga, the Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri, as well as the police chief Godwin Matanga.
For Washington, it is refocus these sanctions on specific targetseither ” key individuals responsible for the looting of state coffers and human rights violations against the Zimbabwean people », Indicates a US Treasury official.
The latter adds that these changes are intended to clarify the American position, namely that these sanctions do not target the Zimbabwean people. Because previous sanctionsimplemented 20 years ago and which targeted more than sixty people and companies, were denounced by the government, perceived as responsible for the disastrous economic situation from the country.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa becomes the second consecutive Zimbabwean leader to be subject to US sanctions, after former President Robert Mugabe.