HARARE – The European Union has lifted sanctions on the Zimbabwe Defence Industries, the last entity on its blacklist under restrictive measures in place since 2002, but will maintain an embargo on arms sales to Zimbabwe “which might be used for internal repression.”
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of the European Union on Wednesday.
The council said in a statement: “The council today renewed its framework for restrictive measures in view of the situation in Zimbabwe for a further year, until February 20, 2026.
“The council also delisted the last remaining entity, the Zimbabwe Defence Industries.
“The embargo on arms and equipment which might be used for internal repression remains in place. The EU continues to closely follow developments in Zimbabwe, with a particular attention to the human rights situation, and recalls its readiness to adapt the whole range of its policies accordingly.”
The EU stressed that “the remaining restrictive measures in place do not affect the people of Zimbabwe, its economy, foreign direct investments, or trade.”
Since imposing sanctions in 2002 over electoral fraud and human rights abuses, the EU has eased measures to encourage political reform in Zimbabwe.
The EU began easing sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2015 when it gave the country $267 million, the first time it had extended financial aid to the government since imposing sanctions in 2002.
The bloc subsequently removed the names of dozens of government officials and security chiefs from its sanctions list.
Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party has used the sanctions as an excuse over the years to claim they were hindering foreign investment and responsible for the country’s economic troubles, a claim repeatedly denied by the EU.
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