SADC calls for the lifting of sanctions

  1. Posted on Friday 27 February 2009 - 10:35
    Mernat
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    Mernat Mafirakurewa, AfricaNews reporter in Johannesburg, South Africa
    The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe in order to allow for the rebuilding of the once prosperous country, SA Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said yesterday. Reports say the country needs some $5 billion to rebuild.
    Zimbabwe_Photo: ROHR Zimbabwe
    Opening a SADC council of ministers meeting, Dlamini-Zuma expressed confidence that the inclusive government with Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister would pave the way to recovery.

    Tsvangirai recently visited SA, seeking aid for the humanitarian crisis and economic reconstruction of Zimbabwe. Reports suggested the sum requested was anything from $2bn to $6bn. Finance Minister Trevor Manuel reportedly put it at $2bn.

    On the sidelines of the meeting, African Development Bank president Donald Kaberuka said Zimbabwe deserved international support.

    He said the bank was prepared to set up a donor meeting for Zimbabwe, but its $5bn foreign debt had to be cleared in order to secure more aid.

    “It will require that Zimbabwe comes forward with a credible economic programme. Now the first steps I have seen, listening to (Zimbabwean Finance) Minister Tendai Biti is quite impressive, and it merits support.” Biti headed Zimbabwe’s delegation at the meeting.

    Kabureka said Harare owed the African Development Bank nearly $460m. “That has to be fixed before we do anything else,” he said.

    The most important decision the council will make this session will be on a reconstruction package for Zimbabwe.

    As the SADC ministers met, however, Mugabe was vowing to retain a pair of discredited officials, against the wishes of his coalition partners.

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