By Rudo Saungweme
The United Nations (UN) has called for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe as they are contributing to the worsening of poverty among ordinary Zimbabweans.
The UN Special Rapporteur, Hilal Elver said this yesterday while delivering the UN assessment on preliminary observations on the Right to Food in Zimbabwe based on field visits and meetings with Government.
Elver said that steps to end sanctions must be made so as to address the economic situation in Zimbabwe.
“Steps could be taken at the national level to respect, protect, and fulfil Government`s human rights obligations, and internationally, by putting an end to all economic sanctions. The extraordinarily resilient people of Zimbabwe deserve no less,” she said.
Elver said that the unilateral economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe have resulted in women, the elderly and children being barely able to meet their minimum food needs and becoming largely dependent on food assistance.
In her statement, Elver also said erratic weather patterns had also negatively impacted harvests and livelihoods.
“In rural areas, a staggering 5.5 million people are currently facing food insecurity, as poor rains and erratic weather patterns are impacting harvests and livelihoods. In urban areas, an estimated 2.2 million people are food insecure and lack access to minimum public services, including health and safe water,” said the UN Rapporteur.
Commenting on Twitter on the statement issued by Elver, Mmatigary said these sanctions were invited by the MDC leader Nelson Chamisa so that he could get into power through taking advantage of the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans.
“Unilateral Economic Sanctions begged by Nelson Chamisa, Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti and Dewa Mavhinga so that MDC can get power and become an extension of western hegemony.
“For the West, it’s ‘make them scream’ because they are a threat to our foreign policy,” Mmatigari tweeted.
Climate change and sanctions are threatening food and water security, human health as well as social, economic stability in Zimbabwe.
