China supports Tanzania’s position on Zimbabwe sanctions
By Staff Reporters, Dar es Salaam – China has joined the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Chairman, Tanzanian President Dr. John Magufuli in supporting the lifting of economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.
A number of nations including the European Union, the United States of America and some Multilateral Organizations, have slapped Zimbabwe with economic sanctions. Tanzania raised its position during the just ended UN General Assembly meeting in New York recently. The same was echoed this week when President Magufuli met leaders of the Asia-Africa Legal Consultative Forum (AALCO) during their annual meeting in Dar es Salaam.
The position got new impetus in Dar es Salaam on Friday, following a statement made by Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Honourable Wang Ke. The same statement was earlier issued and read in Beijing by China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang, formally endorsing Tanzanians’s position. SADC has also endorsed the the position.
“China supports Tanzanian position on Zimbabwe as we understand the sanctions in Zimbabwe have no backing in International Laws,” said Ambassador Wang Ke, a seasoned Chinese diplomat.
Earlier on Friday, SADC, through its Executive Secretary, Dr. Tax Stargomena, issued a statement echoing similar sentiments.
“Despite the accumulation of arrears on the part of Zimbabwe, the IFIs have deliberately avoided to enrol Zimbabwe on special recovery programmes (like other countries in similar circumstances). The suspension of multilateral financing support is more linked to sanctions than failure by Zimbabwe to honour loan servicing obligations” states the statement.
On the region aspect, the statement has made clear that, the implosion of the Zimbabwean economy has added a burden to the social services of neighbouring countries due to mass emigration.
The former University of Dar es Salaam lecture who is currently serving as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health (community welfare sector), Dr. John Jingu said the sanctions in Zimbabwe are causing great hardships not to the targeted political leaders but to the women, men, children and other common people.
Addressing the UN this September, Tanzania raised its voice through its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi who said the sanction must be “lifted now.”
