UN envoy urges lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe

A United Nations human rights expert has called for the removal of 20-year-old western sanctions against Zimbabwe, saying they’ve harmed jobs, health, and the poor.

Alena Douhan said dialogue was the alternative way to achieve political reforms - a recommendation that echoes the African Union's stance.

A BBC reporter in Zimbabwe says the government had hoped for the endorsement, but the opposition suggested it was predetermined and biased.

The US and the European Union have said they won’t remove sanctions until their demands for democratic reforms are met.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: AFP