Brown says too early to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe. (BBC)
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has expressed his view about when sanctions against Zimbabwe should be lifted. The leader said sanctions should only be lifted when the country exhibits improvement about its human rights violations and media restrictions. South African president Jacob Zuma suggested a lifting of bans Zimbabwe to allow it to move forward when he paid a state visit to the UK.
Sanctions are needed to keep Mr. Mugabe on its toes and to maintain and improve the current level of democracy in the country. Mr. Zuma said, sanctions could be cited as reasons the country could not develop in a time to come. Lifting the various bans could help the different political parties’ trash out their differences says Mr. Zuma. The US announced this week that it will extend sanctions on Zimbabwe for another year because of unresolved political crises. The US and EU maintain a travel ban and asset freeze on President Mugabe, his wife and those in his inner circle.