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(TALKZIMBABWE) CZI calls for lifting of sanctions

CZI calls for lifting of sanctions
By: Our reporter
Posted: Thursday, July 29, 2010 10:15 pm

THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has called upon global businesses to join government in a collective call to remove illegal and ruinous sanctions imposed on the country by the United States, Britain and their allies in the West.

CZI president Joseph Kanyekanye said the sanctions were innappropriate and could not advance democracy, as claimed by the imposing countries. Kanyekanye called for the government to re-engage with the European Union and to seek funding outside of Zimbabwe urgently in order to revive industry.

"In all CZI meetings we had with foreign ministers, ambassadors and multilateral institutions, we emphasised the need to separate politics from industry and other national issues," he said.

He praised Rio Tinto and its partners for investing in a 2,400-megawatt power station at the Sengwa coal fields and commended the government's drive to ensure that Zimbabwe benefited from the diamonds at Chiadzwa in Marange district.

The call comes as the EU is mulling removing their illegal sanctions on an individual by individual basis.

The bloc wants individuals who are on their sanctions list to make representations explaining why they should not be on that list.

The Zanu-PF party of President Mugabe has dismissed this new EU strategy as "ridiculous" saying the sanctions were imposed in a blanket way and should therefore be removed in the same manner.

Labels: CONFEDERATION OF ZIMBABWE INDUSTRIES, JOSEPH KANYEKANYE, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 4:23 PM