By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Journal, Africa Desk

BRUSSELS, Belgium-Today the European Union decided to extend its sanctions on Zimbabwe for another year.  After deciding not enough progress has been made in implementing the country’s power-sharing agreement, 27 nations voted in favor of extending the sanctions that were imposed on Zimbabwe in September 2008. A statement by the EU published in the bloc’s official journal read, “In view of the situation in Zimbabwe, in particular the lack of progress in the implementation of the Clobal Political Agreement signed in September 2008, the restrictive measures… should be extended for a further period of 12 months.”

President Robert Mugabe and his rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai formed a “unity” government just about one year ago. The aim of this “unity” government was to end political unrest targeting a majority of supporters who backed Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (“MDC”).

Zimbabwe’s relationship with the European Union has been strained for the last ten years as a result of a string of elections that were marred by violence and widespread allegations of human rights abuses by Mugabe’s government. Since then, his government has been closely watched by the EU. Some of what the sanctions include is travel bans and assets freezes for many affiliated and part of Mugabe’s government. 

Many of the problems that have arisen within the “unity” government stem from Mugabe’s view of MDC members as just a Western puppet, lacking any objective or substantive perspective on development in Zimbabwe.

For more information please see:

AFP – EU Renews Sanctions On Zimbabwe for Another Year – 16 February 2010

BBC – EU Renews Sanctions On Zimbabwe – 16 February 2010

Telegraph – EU Renews Zimbabwe Sanctions – 16 February 2010