By A Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has renewed Zimbabwe’s call for the removal of sanctions, using his address at the United Nations General Assembly’s 81st session in New York to again press the issue on the international stage.

Mnangagwa told the gathering that Zimbabwe regarded itself as a country willing to maintain relations with all nations, declaring, “Zimbabwe is a friend to all and an enemy to none — unless you choose to be an enemy.”

The remarks came as Mnangagwa sought to project Zimbabwe as open to international engagement while continuing his administration’s longstanding campaign against sanctions imposed on the country.

However, the repeated emphasis on sanctions remains a contentious feature of the government’s international messaging, with the administration frequently presenting their removal as an important condition for Zimbabwe’s economic progress.

Mnangagwa’s latest appeal also comes against the backdrop of his government’s efforts to portray Zimbabwe as open for business and seeking stronger international partnerships.
While the President used the UN platform to call for greater engagement, his comments leave the sanctions issue firmly at the centre of Zimbabwe’s diplomatic messaging, years after the government first intensified its campaign for their removal.

The 81st session of the UN General Assembly opened on September 8, with the general debate running from September 22 to 26 and September 28.