CONFIRMED: Donald Trump Extends Sanctions On Mnangagwa

In a statement United States President Donald Trump extended economic sanctions on Zimbabwe by another year.

Trump said the extension was necessitated by the fact that persons on the sanctions list, which includes President Emmerson Mnangagwa, “continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States.” Said Trump:

The actions and policies of these persons continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States.  For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 6, 2003, and the measures adopted on that date, on November 22, 2005, and on July 25, 2008, to deal with that emergency must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2018.  Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288.

In February this year, NewsDay reported that the US was considering renewing sanctions against the Zanu-PF administration. A source told NewsDay that the United States recognises Mnangagwa came into power through a coup despite the Zanu-PF’s administration’s choice to label it Operation Restore Legacy. 

Read Trumps full statement below:

On March 6, 2003, by Executive Order 13288, the President declared a national emergency and blocked the property of certain persons, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706), to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions.  These actions and policies had contributed to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Zimbabwe, to politically motivated violence and intimidation in that country, and to political and economic instability in the southern African region.

On November 22, 2005, the President issued Executive Order 13391 to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288 by ordering the blocking of the property of additional persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe.

On July 25, 2008, the President issued Executive Order 13469, which expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288 and authorized the blocking of the property of additional persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe.

The actions and policies of these persons continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States.  For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 6, 2003, and the measures adopted on that date, on November 22, 2005, and on July 25, 2008, to deal with that emergency must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2018.  Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

March 2, 2018.