US removes Zim sanctions regulations

THE United States Treasury has confirmed the removal of sanction imposed in 2003 through the publication of the final rule to remove the Zimbabwe Sanctions Regulations.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) issued the final rule to remove the Zimbabwe Sanctions Regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations yesterday.

Last month, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order repealing the first order issued in March 2003 which blocked property of several political leaders in Zimbabwe for “undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe.”

Then US President George W Bush had determined that actions and policies of certain members of the Zimbabwean government and others had contributed to the breakdown of law in Zimbabwe.

The order also accused the government then led by the late President Robert Mugabe of promoting politically-motivated violence and intimidation in the country.

The order also noted that the Mugabe administration was responsible for the political and economic instability in the southern African region.

Bush said the government also “constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States” before declaring a national emergency to deal with the threat.

The restrictions were subsequently renewed over the years until their removal this year.

In confirming, the US Treasury department said Ofac was taking this action because the national emergency on which part 541 was based was terminated by the president on March 4, 2024.

“The rule is currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on April 17, 2024,” the department said.

Ofac last month designated 11 individuals, including Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and three entities for their involvement in corruption or serious human rights abuse pursuant to executive order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

Mnangagwa last month became the first sitting head of State to be designated by the US under its Global Magnitsky Programme alongside wife Auxillia and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

Others are Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Owen Ncube, Central Intelligence Organisation deputy director Walter Tapfumaneyi, businessman Obey Chimuka and tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei as well as his wife Sandra.

Sakunda and Fossil Group, companies that are linked to Tagwirei and Chimuka, were also put on the new list.