The European Union is about to withhold the majority of the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, yet President Robert Mugabe and his wife are both to be kept on the Brussels’ blacklist, as announced by a well-informed EU diplomatic source yesterday (12 February). According to the source, the EU is going to suspend eight out of ten people and one firm while the formal decision to do so is expected to come at the beginning of next week.
Moreover, it has been confirmed that Brussels invited President Mugabe to the EU-Africa summit to be held in April but it is not yet known if he is going to accept. EU sanctions were first enforced against Mr Mugabe and his aides already 12 years ago due to the escalation of political violence related to the elections of 2002, breaching of human rights, and the failure to organize fair and free elections in the country. These measures have been so far renewed on a yearly basis. EU’s sanctions included for instance freezing of assets or visa ban against the majority of Zimbabwean companies and selected individuals. The sanctions against first two banks were lifted already in February last year, while the remaining ones are anticipated to be lifted soon. Furthermore, the ‘black list’ of initially 112 people and 11 firms has shrunk to President Mugabe, the country’s nine other senior leaders and two businesses.
In September 2013, the EU28 lifted also its sanctions on one of the world’s largest diamond field – the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation – which operated the mining site. The company had been blacklisted for reportedly channelling money to Zimbabwe’s African National Union – Patriotic Front – the ruling party in Zimbabwe since the independence in 1980, which has been led by Robert Mugabe.
