Full preliminary findings of the UN special rapporteur on sanctions to Zimbabwe

The Special Rapporteur is concerned that the use of extraterritorial secondary sanctions and reported fear of sanctions result in over-compliance with existing sanctions regimes, preventing the Government of Zimbabwe, its public sector and private companies from purchasing machinery, spare parts, medicine, food, agricultural supplies and other essential goods, and also result in a growing number of bank transfer refusals and difficulties for transfers that can occur, resulting in rising prices for all (especially imported) goods.

Insufficient resources, the limited availability of technical aid, and delays in building essential infrastructure including hospitals, schools, transport, electricity, agriculture, courts, and recruitment of qualified professionals, result in the unavailability of medical aid, food insecurity and poverty, affecting the quality of work of public institutions and resulting in the violation of terms and quality of public services including investigations and court hearings, giving rise to crime and corruption and affecting therefore the right to health, to education, to due process guarantees and many others.

The Special Rapporteur notes with concern that the lack of resources, limited access to development loans, and reluctance of foreign entities to deal with Zimbabwean partners or invest in the economy makes it hard and expensive to buy necessary medical and technological equipment, reagents and spare parts for the repair and maintenance of water, public transport, telephone and communication systems, schools, hospitals, houses and other public services; and to implement development projects including those approved by UNIDO and other organizations, thus undermining the enjoyment of many human rights, including the right to a decent life.

Low salaries, unemployment and growing involvement in the informal economy result in migration to neighboring countries, rising poverty, involvement in criminal activities, corruption, prostitution, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and drug abuse, especially among the most vulnerable, including women, youth and children.

The Special Rapporteur notes that poverty, insufficient resources, the use of third-country partners and banks often in non-transparent procedures, which is also due to the impact of unilateral sanctions, fear of secondary sanctions and de-risking policies, as well as the unavailability of technical assistance for institution-building, traditionally give rise to crimes and corruption and undermines the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice; it jeopardizes sustainable development and the rule of law, as defined in the preamble and art. 9(1) of the UN Convention against Corruption of 2003.

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