SADC Slams Sanctions: “They’re Suffocating Zimbabwe’s Growth”
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has renewed its call for the immediate and unconditional lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe, warning that the punitive measures continue to cripple the country’s economy and undermine regional development.
The appeal was made on October 25 during the 2025 SADC Anti-Sanctions Day commemorations, held under the theme “Inclusive Development through Heritage-Based Innovation and Industrialisation in a Multilateral World.”
The commemorations, observed across the region, were established in 2019 at the 39th SADC Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The day was set aside to rally member states in solidarity with Zimbabwe and to push back against what SADC describes as “prolonged and unjustified” sanctions imposed by Western powers.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi led this year’s charge, describing the sanctions — imposed by the United States, European Union and United Kingdom since the early 2000s — as coercive and harmful.
“The harsh economic and social realities emanating from these sanctions remain emblematic of the multiple attacks on Zimbabwe’s human and peoples’ rights,” Magosi stated.
He emphasized that the sanctions have evolved in form and target over the years, but their impact remains unchanged.
“Most importantly, the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe continue to undermine SADC’s pursuit of regional economic integration by limiting Zimbabwe’s full participation in trade, investment and shared economic growth of the SADC region,” he pointed out.
According to the Sunday Mail, the sanctions have not only destabilized Zimbabwe’s economy but have also disrupted the broader goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 — a blueprint for a peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa.
Magosi warned that such external restrictions run counter to the continent’s collective aspirations.
“SADC believes that the prosperity and livelihood of any civilisation can and should not be held at ransom by any such external forces,” he remarked.
He urged global powers to embrace multilateralism and constructive engagement, noting that this year’s theme reflects the region’s commitment to inclusive growth and resilience.
“This theme acknowledges our shared pursuit of inclusive growth, resilience and sustainable development as the global system and Zimbabwe navigate evolving challenges together,” Magosi concluded.
-Sunday Mail
