Southern African Nations Urge US and EU to Lift Sanctions on Zimbabwe

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), a bloc of 16 nations, has called on the United States and the European Union to immediately lift sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

According to Tanzanian President John Magufuli, who currently chairs SADC, the sanctions are not only harming Zimbabwe but also negatively affecting the entire southern African region.

The measures were originally introduced in 2002, during the presidency of Robert Mugabe. Current president Emmerson Mnangagwa maintains that these restrictions have crippled Zimbabwe’s economic development, arguing that their removal would help attract Western investors after nearly two decades of isolation.

Zimbabwe is currently facing severe inflation and shortages of essential goods such as fuel, electricity, and water. Prices of basic commodities have skyrocketed — the cost of bread, for instance, has increased fivefold since April. The United Nations estimates that around five million Zimbabweans now rely on food aid.

In March, the administration of then–US President Donald Trump extended the country’s sanctions by another year, stating that they would remain in place until meaningful political reforms are implemented. Roughly 141 individuals and entities are on the US sanctions list, including top government officials and military figures.

The European Union, meanwhile, says it no longer imposes economic sanctions on Zimbabwe. Remaining restrictions target only a few individuals linked to the previous regime, involving measures such as an arms embargo, asset freezes, and travel bans. An EU spokesperson emphasized that these have no significant impact on the broader economy.

Since coming to power in 2017 after Mugabe’s removal, President Mnangagwa has faced public discontent and repeated protests over economic hardship. Recent demonstrations in Harare were met with a heavy police response, echoing earlier unrest in January when a fuel price hike triggered deadly clashes that left 12 people dead.

At the SADC summit in Dar es Salaam, President Magufuli urged the international community to end the sanctions, describing Zimbabwe as a “brotherly nation” that has “opened a new chapter.” He compared the region to a single body: “When you chop one part, the whole body suffers,” he said.

SADC’s executive secretary, Dr. Stergomena Tax, announced that member states will collectively express their opposition to sanctions on 25 October through coordinated actions and public statements.