The European Union is planning to lift the remaining sanctions on Zimbabwe but not on President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told the European Parliament today it was now time for the EU to respond because Zimbabwe was moving forward. “I think we probably are now in the right place to do this on the basis that if things go badly we can move back again,” she said. The EU has refused to endorse last year’s elections which ZANU-PF won overwhelmingly but it has lifted sanctions on Zimbabwe’s diamonds. Sanctions on Zimbabwe, imposed 12 years ago, will be renewed on 20 February. But reports said the EU would lift sanctions on eight of the 10 remaining individuals on the list. Apart from Mugabe and his wife, others still under EU sanctions are: ZANU-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda, Central Intelligence Director Happyton Bonyongwe, Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, Defence Forces chief Constantine Chiwenga, Air Force Chief Perrence Shiri, Army Commander Phillip Sibanda and army brigadier Douglas Nyikayaramba. Only one firm, the Zimbabwe Defence Industries, remains on the list.
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