South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says his country favors the lifting or easing of international sanctions on neighboring Zimbabwe, whose new government has cracked down on protests over a dramatic rise in fuel prices.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Ramaphosa said Zimbabwe faces “serious, serious, economic challenges and can be assisted by the world if those sanctions are lifted.”
Speaking to the Associated Press, Zimbabwe Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said “we don’t need to be told by anyone that we need to do better on human rights or open up democratic space … we need to do it for ourselves.”
The United States has sanctions on Zimbabwean officials including President Emmerson Mnangagwa and says certain human rights reforms are needed to lift them.