Zimbabwe Hits Out Against International Sanctions

Zimbabwe Hits Out Against International Sanctions During Address To UN Debate

New York, Sep 24 2010 7:10PM

International economic sanctions against Zimbabwe are illegal and have caused “untold suffering” for its people, President Robert Mugabe told the General Assembly today, calling for them to be scrapped immediately.

“The people of Zimbabwe should, like every other sovereign State, be left to freely chart their own destiny,” "http://gadebate.un.org/View/SpeechView/tabid/85/smid/411/ArticleID/133/reftab/227/t/Zimbabwe/Default.aspx" said Mr. Mugabe, addressing the second day of the annual high-level segment of the 192-member Assembly.

He said the sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union (EU) were introduced without reference to the United Nations and “with the evil intention of causing regime change.

“These illegal sanctions have caused untold suffering among Zimbabweans, who alone should be the deciders of regime change.”

The country’s Inclusive Government, formed early last year after disputed presidential and parliamentary elections in 2008, is united against the sanctions, Mr. Mugabe said.

“The rest of the international community – including the SADC (Southern African Development Community), COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) and the African Union – has similarly called for the removal of the sanctions, but these calls have gone unheeded.”

In his speech Mr. Mugabe also called for the reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other multilateral financial institutions.

“It is important to understand that the critical issues that we face today cannot be addressed effectively when so many countries and regions are left out of the key decision-making processes of institutions of global governance. We need to participate in the making of policies and decisions that affect our very livelihoods.”

ENDS

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