UN Sends Envoy To Assess The Impact Of Sanctions On Zimbabwe
The United Nations (UN) will deploy an envoy to Zimbabwe to assess the impact of sanctions imposed on the Southern African country at the turn of the millennium.
The special rapporteur, Alena Douhan from Belarus, is expected to be in Zimbabwe from October 18 to 28, at the invitation of the government.
She is scheduled to meet government officials, the opposition and members of civic society and subsequently present a report on findings to the UN Human Rights Council at its 51st session to be held in September next year. Read a statement by the office of the UN Human Rights High Commissioner Tuesday:
She is currently seeking the views of all relevant stakeholders to inform the thematic and geographical focus of the visit and subsequent reporting.
In order to gather first-hand information related to the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights in a specific country, enabling her to conduct her assessment and evaluation of such impacts, and thus to prepare relevant recommendations and guidelines on means to mitigate or eliminate these adverse impacts, the special rapporteur undertakes field visits.
Zimbabwe has been under US sanctions since 2001 when the U.S. signed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act into law in citing violation of human rights in the country.
The sanctions have been renewed over the years since 2001 and in March 2021.
The European Union (EU) and the UK, also imposed sanctions, which they described as targeted.
The late former President Robert Mugabe claimed sanctions were meant to champion a regime change agenda by hurting the ordinary people.
But local opposition parties and observers argued that the economic crisis in Zimbabwe was caused by grand corruption and not sanctions.
More: NewsDay Zimbabwe
