Credit: Wikipedia Commons /  2008. President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe listens as Prof. Alpha Oumar Konare, chairman of the Commission of the African Union, addresses attendees at the opening ceremony of the 10th Ordinary Session of the Assembly during the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

By Gary Raynaldo   /   DIPLOMATIC TIMES

Robert Mugabe, who died last month aged 95, ruled Zimbabwe for nearly 40 years before being ousted in a military takeover in November 2017.   The United State has had a strenuous relationship with Zimbabwe beginning in 2001 when the U.S. began imposing restrictions on U.S. support for multilateral financing, followed by financial sanctions on individuals and entities arising from a bilateral land dispute between Harare and London.   Now, in the post-Mugabe era, relations between the U.S. and Zimbabwe are on the path to normalization, according to Tibor Nagy, United States Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs. The U.S. top African diplomat cleared up some common misconceptions regarding Washington policy toward Harare during a press briefing with journalists last Wednesday.  The diplomat made it clear that Zimbabwe is open for U.S. business investments.

“Unfortunately it’s no secret, we have a problematic relationship with Zimbabwe. There’s the ZIDERA Act which restricts to a certain extent what the United States can and cannot do. However, there’s a very false narrative out there which I want to correct. Some people say that the United States has sanctions against the country of Zimbabwe. We do not, repeat, do not have sanctions against the country of Zimbabwe. We have sanctions against certain individuals and certain corporations and there could be greater detail on that, but not against the country of Zimbabwe. There is nothing to stop U.S. businesses from investing in Zimbabwe, from going to Zimbabwe.”

-Tibor Nagy, United States Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs

Credit: U.S. Department of State /   Tibor Nagy, United States Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs

Zimbabwe Has A “Reputational Problem”:  Ambassador Nagy

Moreover, Ambassador Nagy cautioned that there is still the issue of Zimbabwe’s reputation with regard to human rights.   The U.S. top African diplomat stated:

“However, again, let’s be very frank. Zimbabwe has a reputational problem. We have great concerns over how the government treats its own citizens. We have great concerns over the space that’s available for democracy and governance in Zimbabwe. We have been alarmed with how the government has treated its own citizens. So those are the issues. But as I said, we’ve had very frank, honest and open discussions between ourselves and the highest levels of your government. So you know, hopefully, again, you know my dream and prayer is that we can have fully normalized positive relations with every country in Africa. And Zimbabwe is near the top of my wish list.“

-Ambassador Tibor Nagy 

According to the State Department,  the  U.S. has made it  clear that the easing of restrictive measures, including targeted sanctions and travel bans, will only occur in the context of credible, transparent, and lasting democratic reforms, in Zimbabwe.  The U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe is Brian A. Nichols. Zimbabwe maintains an embassy in the United States at 1608 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC.