"Removing Sanctions Is A Process Not An Event," - SB Moyo
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sibusiso Moyo (SB) has said that relations between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom were improving.
He made the remarks during an interview with The Herald’s Deputy Editor, Ranga Mataire (RM) during which he discussed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic to the country’s engagement and re-engagement drive.
Below are excerpts from the interview.
RM: So why this perpetuation of sanctions by the same Britain which you say was the instigator of the economic embargo in the EU?
SB: We have had incessant calls by Britain and other countries to institute various reforms and President Mnangagwa has embarked on implementing a wide range of reforms that also give confidence that the international community, including UK will welcome this as a basis not to continue the isolation of Zimbabwe. You will recall that even on the fiscal front, these reforms have resulted in the New Dispensation now progressively achieving monthly budgetary surplus as opposed to perennial monthly budgetary deficit. The recent rating by World Bank has also upgraded our position to number 51 out of about 170 countries.RM: From what you are saying, it means there is hope that relations between Zimbabwe and Britain will turn for the good?
SB: Removing sanctions is a process not an event, but our expectations are that very soon we are going to have meetings between ourselves and the EU. These meetings are the ones that result in understanding of certain facts. What complicated or dented the process that we had initiated was the changes that we have had in UK. We waited for the changes to settle in so that we could resume bilateral engagements. It’s usually easier to have virtual meetings with somebody you have met before. At the moment, the focus of most leaders is on saving lives and it is not the ideal time to let someone refocus on something else.
More: The Herald
