Harare (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday applauded Africa for its support and solidarity with Zimbabwe against illegal Western sanctions.

The sanctions, which have been in place for 20 years, have cost Zimbabwe billions of dollars in economic damage.

In solidarity with Zimbabwe, most African leaders regularly denounce the sanctions at various international fora, while the Southern African Development Community, (SADC) has intensified the fight and declared October 25 as a day regional countries use various means to remonstrate against the heinous sanctions.

President Mnangagwa expressed his gratitude to the continent in an address to the nation marking Africa Day.

He said the solidarity shown Zimbabwe by other African states was a show of the unity that exists on the continent.

“As we commemorate and celebrate the Unity of our continent, we in Zimbabwe deeply thank our SADC region and the whole continent of Africa for standing with us. Africa has rejected and denounced sanctions against Zimbabwe and the Sudan, urging those responsible for these illegal, heinous measures to immediately lift them without conditionalities.

“They are illegal, unjust, spiteful and undeserved. Above all they go against the grain and spirit of civilized international relations as espoused in the United Nations Charter. We reiterate that sanctions have no place in modern international relations,” he said.

President Mnangagwa pledged Zimbabwe’s commitment to regional and continental initiatives towards a prosperous and peaceful Africa.

This, he said, would be in part fulfilment of the vision of the continent’s founding fathers.

“As we celebrate Africa Day, we are jubilant that the vision of our founding fathers has been by and large realised, kept and is jealously defended. Above all, that vision continues to be elaborated upon, notably through Agenda 2063 which envisions an economically integrated continent of Africa which will be a global powerhouse by 2063.”

President Mnangagwa said the African Continental Free Trade Area was a key instrument in driving the continent’s growth and development agenda.

He said guided by Agenda 2063, Africa ought to explore and exploit its vast natural resources to modernise and industrialise.

“Furthermore, we must continue to consolidate and deepen the culture of democracy and good governance bequeathed to us by our founding fathers. We cannot be taught democracy by those countries which unleashed colonialism against us. We are our own liberators, we fought and sacrificed lives to achieve democracy which we enjoy today,” he said.

He said the promotion of human development and youth and women economic empowerment should be prioritised.

“The African diaspora remains an integral and inseparable part of us. Their skills and competencies must be harnessed for the good of the continent. This was the great vision of the luminaries of our great continent.”

The continent marks Africa Day on Monday, the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now African Union (AU).

President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the birth of the OAU, 17 years before Zimbabwe’s independence, marked a turning point in the fight against colonial oppression.

“This year, we mark 57 years since the founding of the OAU which later transformed into the African Union in 2002 to accelerate and deepen economic and political integration. Let this year’s celebration serve to remind us all of the sacrifices made by the thousands living and departed brave sons and daughters of our continent who took up arms to end colonial rule. They are the heroes of our lands-heroes of Africa,” he said.
New Ziana