The United States President Donald Trump has on Monday extended the sanctions by a year against Zimbabwe, stating that the Zimbabwean new government’s policies still continues to pose an “unusual and extraordinary” threat to the Washington foreign policy.
According to Al-Jazeera news reports, the sanctions development has come despite calls by the African leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, for the US sanctions to be removed in order to provide a chance to the country to recover from its economic crisis.
While announcing the extension reports, in a notice, Trump said, “The actions and policies of these persons continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States. I am continuing for [one] year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288.”
Trump’s administration leaders said the US sanctions will continue to remain in place until Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government changes its current laws restricting protests and media freedom.
Around 141 entities along with individuals in Zimbabwe are currently under the US sanctions, including former president Robert Mugabe and Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa has called for sanctions to be lifted against the ZANU-PF ruling party, including top military figures and government-owned entities, imposed during Mugabe’s ruling what the US said was a violation of human rights and undermining of the democratic process.
Since a decade, Zimbabwe has been struggling while facing an economic crisis. In January, the government announced a 150 per cent increase in fuel prices which led to widespread discontent and violent demonstrations.