Mugabe Blasts EU For Extending Sanctions

“We know their attitude that they do not want to see us develop. The  noise they  are  making is  a  result  of their lost  war  against us in the control  of  our resources and  we  are not  surprised  by that,” said President Mugabe on the sidelines of a Pan African Tourism investment summit in Harare on Wednesday.

The Coalition government which  was formed last year by Zanu PF and  two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations has  failed to abide by its power sharing agreement and political reforms that would  led  to a  fresh democratic  election.

 President Mugabe told journalists  that the EU’s decision to extend sanctions was counter productive.

The European Union on Tuesday extended sanctions on Zimbabwe for another 12 months, citing a lack of progress in implementing a power-sharing accord.

“In view of the situation in Zimbabwe, in particular the lack of progress in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement signed in September 2008, the restrictive measures … should be extended for a further period of 12 months,” the official journal of the European Union said on Tuesday.

President Mugabe said all the parties in the GPA were committed to see the removal of sanctions.

“Everyone need to see these sanctions removed but it’s only that there are other people who are feeling it psychologically uncomfortable to call for their (sanctions) lifting,” he added.

MDC secretary General Tendai Biti, who is one of the negotiators in the GPA, said in an interview that they (government) were going to urgently engage EU over its decision.

“We have advised the ministerial team leading the Zimbabwe and EU re-engagement process to urgently convene a meeting with EU over the matter because we feel it’s an emergency case. The issue of sanctions is also on the GPA and we feel very much threatened by this development,” Biti told Radio VOP.

In June 2009 Zimbabwe set up a ministerial team responsible for engaging the EU on sanctions under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement, a pact between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states signed in 2000.

The committee which is being chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi of ZANU-PF,comprises Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa(Zanu PF), Industry minister Welshman Ncube (MDC-M), Regional and Integration minister Priscilla Misihairambwi Mushonga (MDC-M), Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma and Finance Minister Tendai Biti both from MDC-T.