Cape Town — The U.S. sanctions against Zimbabwe over the past two decades are not the cause of the economic and development issues in the country, said David Gainer, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of African Affairs.

Gainer and Senior Advisor to the Office of Sanctions Coordination, Brad Brooks-Rubin were speaking at a press briefing on the implementation of the Global Magnitsky (Glomag) sanctions on March 4, 2024.

Glomag was described by Gainer and Brooks-Rubin as the "more appropriate tool for the 14 targets", including President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice President   Constantino Chiwenga  and businessman  Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei,  who should bear responsibility for Zimbabweans living in fear.

"This is not a change in policy for the U.S. - only a change in the sanctions tool. We continue to urge the government of Zimbabwe to move towards more open and democratic governance, including addressing human rights abuses and corruption, so all Zimbabweans can prosper. The change of sanctions is an opportunity for companies and individuals to re-evaluate derisking models and the Zimbabwe market after 20 years," Gainer said.

The sanctions remain effective against U.S. citizens who engage in financial transactions or other business with sanctioned individuals and companies, and any property or interest in property would be blocked.

"We believe these new sanctions tools, used in dozens of countries throughout the world, from Europe to Asia, to Africa, to Latin America - even among treaty allies of ours. It allows us to target Zimbabwean actors using the same tools that are used for the world's worst human rights abusers and corrupt actors. We hope that Zimbabwe's government uses the opportunity that this transition presents. Sanctions are a tool to advance policy - not a criminal charge - preventing perpetrators from accessing US institutions and restrict their ability to travel to the U.S," Gainer said.

On being asked why Zimbabwe is being targeted, Gainer said there are a number of sanctions imposed on actors and armed groups who are "connected to the Eastern DRC and Rwanda". Brooks-Rubin added that sanctions are a tool to advance policy - and "we have other tools like visa restrictions ... deliberations we cannot discuss with respect to any particular country".

Mnangagwa had been listed in the previous sanctions programme.