|
EU widens sanctions against Zim
22/07/2008 13:03 - (SA)
Brussels - European Union foreign ministers widened sanctions against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, adding dozens more people to a list of individuals under a visa ban.
The following was a review of existing sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and members of his regime and inner circle.
The bloc first imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe on February 18, 2002, after the head of the EU observer mission to the presidential election was thrown out.
The sanctions, the scope of which had been gradually extended over the years, involved sanctions against Mugabe and his inner circle, including an asset freeze and a ban on travelling in the EU.
They also included an arms and military material embargo. On Tuesday, EU foreign ministers widened the sanctions, adding 37 more people to a list of individuals under the visa ban.
Sanctions targeted 130 individuals
Despite the ban Mugabe was able to attend last month's summit of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, last year's EU-Africa summit in Lisbon, and the funeral of pope John Paul II in 2005.
Non-EU members Switzerland and Norway aligned with the sanctions in 2002.
Sanctions, first imposed in 2002 and 2003 and renewed on an annual basis, targeted about 130 individuals and about 30 companies accused of hindering democratic reforms in Zimbabwe.
They were subject to an asset-freeze and travel ban. There was also a ban on non-food aid.
Ottawa in June announced measures to restrict its relationship with the Zimbabwe government, including via travel restrictions on senior Zimbabwean government, military and police officials and their families.
It also restricted rights for any aircraft registered in Zimbabwe to land in or to fly over Canada.
Zim sports teams banned
New Zealand, which adopted its first sanctions in 2002, maintained a list of 249 Zimbabweans who were banned from visiting.
Since 2005 Zimbabwean sports teams had also been banned from the country.
In 2002, the Australian government announced similar sanctions against top Zimbabwean officials. In 2004 the main leaders of state enterprises were included on the list.
In August 2007, Australia cancelled the visas of children of members of the regime who were studying in Australia and expelled them.
On March 19 2002, the Commonwealth leadership announced the suspension of Zimbabwe from ministerial councils for a year. On December 7 2003, Commonwealth leaders extended the suspension for an indefinite period.
They left the door open for Zimbabwe to return, setting up a committee to monitor its democratic progress. Mugabe said the conditions were unacceptable and announced that his country was leaving the Commonwealth.
- AFP
|
News
Zimbabwe Special Report
