The Parliament of Zimbabwe is planning to send a delegation to Washington to lobby United President Joe Biden to lift sanctions that have cost the country more than US$42 billion since they came into force more than 20 years ago.
Energy Mutodi who introduced the motion in Parliament yesterday said the delegation would also lobby the United States congress to lift the sanctions.
Biden was one of the sponsors of the sanctions law, the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act, in 2001.
The US recently announced visa restrictions on those stifling democracy in Zimbabwe though it did not name anyone.
Here is Mutodi’s motion:
MOTION
UNCONDITIONAL REPEAL OF ZIDERA BY THE US GOVERNMENT AND LIFTING OF UNWARRANTED AND ILLEGAL SANCTIONS ON ZIMBABWE
HON. DR. MUTODI: I move the motion standing in my name That this House: DESIROUS to have the heinous and illegal sanctions, unilaterally imposed on Zimbabwe by the Government of United States of America after the enactment of the draconian Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) by the George Bush Administration, unconditionally removed to pave way for a prosperous sovereign state;
COGNISANT that the United States of America Government has not forgiven Zimbabwe for rightfully possessing the land that people won after a hard fought and protracted war;
DISMAYED that these evil sanctions have caused gross human suffering to ordinary Zimbabweans as they are not just targeted to individuals who are banned from visiting and operating businesses or bank accounts in the United States, but indiscriminately affect ordinary citizens who have to contend with severe economic hardships such as hyperinflation, exchange rate volatility and high levels of unemployment;
MINDFUL that the imposition of these illegal sanctions has led to massive skills flight resulting in our people migrating to seek employment and other opportunities elsewhere;
FURTHER COGNISANT that the Land Reform Programme is irreversible and will always be sustained;
RE-AFFIRMING ENGAGEMENT AND RE-ENGAGEMENT with all will always be sustained;
NOW THEREFORE, resolves that;
(a) A delegation from Zimbabwe Parliament be sent to the United States of America to present a briefing paper to the President of the United States of America and Congress requesting their administration to expeditiously and unconditionally repeal ZIDERA which has caused so much suffering to ordinary citizens of our country;
(b) The delegation engages the United States of America Congress to lift the unwarranted and illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe;
(c) Zimbabwe presents its case to the United Nations by the end of December, 2023 so that these illegal sanctions imposed on our country are unconditionally lifted once and for all;
and (d) The United States of America Government to engage with the Zimbabwean Government on terms that promote mutual benefit through economic and political cooperation.
HON. SHAMU: I second.
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