New U.S. Ambassador, Pamela Tremont, Challenges Zimbabwe To Uphold Democratic Principles
The United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to uphold democratic principles and ensure transparency, saying these are the values “the Zimbabwean people fought for in the liberation struggle”.
Tremont presented her credentials to President Mnangagwa at the State House on Wednesday morning officially beginning her diplomatic tour of duty in the country.
Addressing the media in Harare on Thursday, Tremont said the responsibility lies with the Zimbabwean government to uphold the rule of law and respect constitutionalism. She said (via NewZimbabwe.com):
Broad-based economic prosperity is impossible without strong democratic institutions, good public health, and regional security.
The United States supports these things because they are critical elements for Zimbabweans to chart their future.
The democratic principles that we advocate for in Zimbabwe are based on the protection of the rights that are enshrined in the Zimbabwean constitution.
These are the rights and protection that the Zimbabwean people fought for in the liberation struggle.
They happen to be many of the shared protections in the Constitution. We believe that Zimbabwe should uphold its constitution because that is what people here deserve.
Zimbabwe’s relations with the United States have been strained since around 2000 when the Zimbabwean government launched its fast-track land reform program, which resulted in the seizure of farms owned by white landowners.
In response, the U.S. government has maintained targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe since 2001.
While these sanctions were removed earlier this year, President Mnangagwa and his close associates were then sanctioned under the U.S. Magnitsky Act for alleged serious human rights abuses and corruption. She said:
Our sanctions transition in March was a historic event. We eliminated the Zimbabwe-specific targeted sanctions and we put fewer people on the global magnitsky list.
The global Magnitsky holds people accountable for corruption and human rights abuses and prevents US financial institutions from being complicit.
On the policy issue, I want to improve relations. That is what every ambassador wants to do in the country they come to.
So I am looking at new ways to do that with the Zimbabwean government, civil society, and business.
The United States had not had a serving ambassador in Zimbabwe since 2021, when the previous envoy, Brian Nichols, departed.
Since then, Elaine French has been serving as the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Harare until Tremont presented her credentials.
More: Pindula News
