Zimbabwe Foreign Affairs Minister Attacks USA, Calls for Less Prescriptive Engagement Style

Source: Zimbabwe Foreign Affairs Minister Attacks USA, Calls for Less Prescriptive Engagement Style

Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo

In a statement, Moyo said the violence by supporters of President Donald Trump, who wanted to block the confirmation of Joseph Biden as next leader of the country following the November presidential election, should result in US policy makers to make a “sober reflection and the emergence of a less prescriptive style of engagement with countries such as Zimbabwe”.

“For a nation which prides itself on the democratic example it sets for others, and which judges and often punishes others for failing to meet its lofty standards of moral rectitude and governance, the events of January 6 must surely have come as a massive reality-check: a stark reminder that all is far from well within the heart and soul of the self-styled ‘leader of the free world’; that America itself is failing to meet the very benchmark standards it demands of all others; and a clear demonstration that its governance systems and institutions are far from infallible.

Moyo said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government expects the USA to completely change its engagement policies with Zimbabwe.

“Our hope, as Zimbabweans, is that the reality of such deliberate politically-motivated violence; the reality of systems-failure and institutional fallibility – especially now, as a new administration takes office in Washington — may lead to a period of sober reflection among US policy and decision-makers, and the emergence of a different, less prescriptive style of US engagement with others — including Zimbabwe.”

The United States and its allies imposed targeted sanctions on some Zanu PF officials and companies citing alleged election rigging and human rights abuses. About 88 individuals and 37 companies are currently under the restrictive measures.

Zimbabwe hopes that the incoming Biden administration will improve its relations with the southern African nation currently gripped by record hyperinflation and

“We look forward to working closely with the incoming Biden Administration, and its Africa team, to inject new impetus into our re-engagement efforts and to continue the task of rebuilding a strong, productive bilateral relationship based on mutual understanding and respect. Just as we are very confident that Americans will swiftly move past the ugliness and chaos of January 6 and the deep polarisation which characterizes.

“US society today, so too are we confident that Zimbabwe and the United States will indeed find one another and succeed in rekindling the multi-faceted, co-operative and mutually beneficial relationship we once enjoyed.”

The USA has over the years pressed Zimbabwe to conduct sweeping political reforms before targeted sanctions are lifted.

COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 3
  • comment-avatar
    Ndebele 3 years ago

    Yes Mr. Moyo – please tell us about the Gukuruhundi before you start pointing your dirty blood stained fingers at other people. The rioters at Capitol Hill will probably be brought before the courts – your Gukuruhundi Chief Engineer is now President of Zimbabwe.

  • comment-avatar
    Ndebele 3 years ago

    Sibusiso – do you really believe that the world will take you guys seriously and send money when you detain Hopewell and Fadzayi? We are very busy telling the whole wide world just how evil Zanu is – and we are all over the big wide world. We are the diasporas students to study the Zanu Lies – we tell the first world, the second and the third world about all your Zanu lies every day of the year – morning, noon and night. using white Mujibas like Scoones, Cross and Swanepoel is a good try – but just more of the same old Gukuruhundi Zanu. What did you really do to Perrence Shiri?

  • comment-avatar
    Fallenz 3 years ago

    Moyo’s unspoken plea:  We are pleased the US has new leadership.  The old one called us names and would send money only to feed people.  But, our ZANUPF leadership wants bigger houses and more luxury vehicles, and we are confident Mr Biden will comply, and let our bigwigs come again to America to spend our nation’s riches on ourselves… after all, “Socialists of a feather flock together”, or something like that.