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The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu, called on the European Union (EU) to give the Zimbabwean government and its people a chance to start from scratch.
She called on the EU to urgently lift sanctions before the South African binational meeting with Zimbabwe in March.
"I now thought that the sanctions imposed on the Government of Zimbabwe and its people would be lifted to allow the country to start from scratch after all the challenges it has faced.
"We call on the EU, and especially the United Kingdom, to give the government and the people of Zimbabwe a chance to change their situation by urgently lifting the sanctions," Sisulu said at a meeting. 39, a press briefing after meeting members of the diplomatic corps in Tshwane on Tuesday.
The EU imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2000 after former President Robert Mugabe was accused of flouting human rights, rigging elections and to have repressed the freedom of the press – accusations denied by the nonagenarian. Sanctions have brought devastating economic challenges. The country has an unemployment rate of 85%, reported News24 earlier.
The sanctions were extended following allegations that the administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa allegedly deployed soldiers to shoot live ammunition at unarmed protesters, before perpetrating a series of human rights violations.
READ ALSO: EU denounces "disproportionate" use of force in Zimbabwe
This took place after nationwide protests against the sharp rise in fuel prices. A liter of gas is the most expensive in the world.
"The escalation of violence in Zimbabwe in recent days has been compounded by the disproportionate use of force by security personnel," said European Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic in a statement.
"We expect the Government of Zimbabwe to respect human rights and the rule of law, as stated in the constitution, and to ensure the respect of the judicial procedures for detainees", the statement added.
READ ALSO: "Eliminating Illegal Sanctions Against Zimbabwe", Mnangagwa pleads with the West
In his statement, Sisulu worried about how the sanctions would affect Zimbabwe's chances of meeting its economic challenges.
"Without lifting the sanctions, the Zimbabwean government will never be able to meet its economic challenges, which jeopardizes the political gains made since the arrival of the new president," she added.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation also took note of all decisions made by President Mnangangwa.
"We remain available to support the Government of Zimbabwe and its people whenever they need us, we are neighbors and the links that bind us are very close," she said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to lead a delegation to Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, on March 12, 2019.
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