By Sarah Munthali and Moses Nyirenda
Lilongwe, April 20, MANA: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo has reiterated Malawi’s support to the call by the SADC Heads of State and Government for the immediate lifting of prolonged economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Speaking during the 44th independence day celebrations of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Lilongwe on Friday, the minister said government is concerned by the sanctions which were imposed by some countries on the Republic of Zimbabwe.
“You will recall that the Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which was held in the United Republic of Tanzania in 2019, designated 25th October as the date on which all SADC member states should collectively voice their disapproval of the sanctions through various activities and platforms until the sanctions are lifted.
Although the date has since passed and that it will also come later this year, I would like to reiterate Malawi’s support to the call by the SADC Heads of State and Government for the immediate lifting of prolonged economic sanctions against Zimbabwe,” she said
“For a developing country like Zimbabwe they do not need sanctions, we want Zimbabwe to develop, the country must develop to pull people out of poverty, with sanctions it is very limiting and there is no free flow of goods,” Tembo said.
The minister then hailed the strong bilateral relations and cooperation between Malawi and Zimbabwe which she said dates back to pre-independence period.
She said bilateral relations between Malawi and Zimbabwe are further enhanced through cooperation under the Malawi/Zimbabwe Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC), which covers sectors, which are mutually beneficial to the two countries. The sectors include trade; customs; transport and communications as well as defence and security.
In her remarks Zimbabwean Ambassador to Malawi Dr Nancy Saungweme applauded the support the government and people of Malawi towards the removal of all sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
“The sanctions have negatively impacted on the economy and the livelihoods of the general people and must be removed immediately and unconditionally, I call on our friends in the region and the international community at large to partner with us in implementing Zimbabwe’s National developing strategy for our mutual benefit
Saungweme said before the sanctions were imposed on Zimbabwe trade practices between Zimbabwe and Malawi were going on well but after the sanctions everything changed.
“Before the sanctions we had good trade relationship with Malawi then after the sanctions, we could not produce the things we used to produce, because with sanctions it means you have been cut your legs and you cannot walk anymore,” Saungweme said.
The Ambassador said the 44th anniversary of Zimbabwes independence being held under the theme Zimbabwe@44: Unity Peace and development towards Vision 2030 seeks to transform Zimbabwe to an upper middle income economy with a per capital gross national income of over US5000 by 2030 from the current US1440, 28.
Zimbabwe attained its independence from the British rule on 18th April 1980.
