GOVERNMENT has castigated the United States for placing State Security Minister, Owen Ncube and Ambassador Anselem Sanyatwe on the OFAC US Treasury sanctions list.<\/p>\n
In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Lt. Gen. Sibusiso Moyo said the move eroded trust and confidence in the relationship between Harare and Washington.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe once again note with regret the inclusion of Honourable Minister Owen Ncube and Ambassador Anselem Sanyatwe as specially designated nationals on the OFAC US Treasury Sanctions list,\u201d said Dr Moyo.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth officials were already placed on the State Department visa and travel negative list during the course of 2019. In both cases, the US cited human rights abuses and political repression as the reasons for imposing the sanctions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision can only further erode trust and confidence in the relationship between Zimbabwe and the United States at a time when, more than ever, confidence-building measures are required to sustain the ongoing process of engagement between our two countries.\u201d<\/p>\n
In taking this action, Dr Moyo said, the US government appears unilaterally to have charged, tried, convicted, and sentenced two very senior Zimbabwean nationals, \u201csurely the very antithesis of justice as we understand it\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said the holding to account of any individual or individuals anywhere in the world for alleged human rights abuses and or political repression must be evidence-based as scrutinised in and upheld by a court of law.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny other approach is surely in itself a violation of those individuals\u2019 human rights,\u201d said Dr Moyo.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Government does, however, register its deep appreciation for the bilateral assistance being provided to Zimbabwe in many areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe US could be of even greater assistance by moving towards the lifting of the sanctions, which it maintains in place and which it renewed last week. Contrary to US government assertions, those sanctions inflict collateral damage way beyond the individuals and entities included in the OFAC list.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GOVERNMENT has castigated the United States for placing State Security Minister, Owen Ncube and Ambassador Anselem Sanyatwe on the OFAC US Treasury sanctions list. In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Lt. Gen. Sibusiso Moyo said the move eroded trust and confidence in the relationship between Harare and Washington. \u201cWe once […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":20597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,12],"tags":[800,807],"class_list":{"0":"post-20595","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-head-lines","9":"category-policy","10":"tag-government-of-zimbabwe","11":"tag-mthuli-ncube"},"yoast_head":"\n