EU ‘ready’ to review sanctions against Zimbabwe

European Union supremo Herman Van Rompuy yesterday said the bloc was ready to take a fresh look at sanctions against Zimbabwe, pending political developments.

Speaking at an EU-South Africa summit, Van Rompuy noted Zimbabwean moves to create a new constitution as part of a road map to elections, a process launched by the unity government formed by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last February.

“In case of positive developments in Zimbabwe we’d be ready to look at fresh measures,” said Mr Van Rompuy, the President of the EU.

Mr Mugabe, 86, and his aides are subject to travel bans and asset freezes in the European Union and the United States, who accuse his regime of repeated human rights abuses and denials of basic freedoms.

“The EU wants to give Zimbabwe chances of success,” said the President of the 27-nation bloc, noting that the EU as a whole had offered €365 million over the last 18 months to projects in Zimbabwe aimed at better governance. “These measures,” he added, “never harm ordinary citizens or impede development.”

The EU last year slapped a 12-month extension on its sanctions against Harare, which include an embargo on arms and police weaponry, as well as the travel ban and asset freezes on Mr Mugabe and his aides.