According to EU sources, sanctions on Zimbabwe that have been in place for over 12 years may soon be eased.
Europe imposed the punishment in response to human rights abuses and violations of democracy under Mugabe, who has held onto the reigns of power since Zimbabwe achieved independence from Britain in 1980.
Much of the EU remains suspicious of Mugabe’s easy victory in last year’s general election. This fifth consecutive victory for Mugabe was predictably declared fraudulent and corrupt by opposition leaders, but independent African observers found the poll to have been free and fair. A new constitution means that no future president will be able to serve more than two consecutive terms and that the current term will be Mugabe’s last.
The travel ban and asset freeze within the EU on Mugabe and his wife Grace will remain in place, but the EU has held out the olive branch of a temporary suspension of the ban to allow him to take part in an EU-Africa summit in Brussels in April.
The overhaul of the EU’s policy, after a review, is designed to encourage positive change in Zimbabwe while retaining some leverage over Mugabe to pursue reforms.
“It does seem a time to move forward and the sense is that Zimbabwe is moving … We need to respond,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in the European Parliament on Tuesday in response to a question about easing sanctions.
“I think we probably are now in the right place to do this on the basis that if things go badly we can move back again,” she said.
EU sanctions on Zimbabwe are renewed annually and are due for review by February 20. The EU is expected to announce next week that sanctions will be suspended on the other eight of the 10 Zimbabweans affected by asset freezes and travel bans in recognition that the country has made some progress in reforming. EU officials have described the eight as “key decision-makers” in Zimbabwe.
The EU has gradually eased sanctions on Zimbabwe for several years to reward it for political reforms under the previous coalition government in which Mugabe shared power with his political rival Morgan Tsvangirai.
