AU urges end to US, EU sanctions on South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Eritrea

JUBA – The African Union (AU) has urged the United States of America to lift unilateral sanctions, including the arms embargo, which it has imposed on South Sudan, the world’s youngest country.

In a communiqué marking end of the 35th Ordinary Summit of the African Union heads of state and government, the continental body urged the Biden Administration to remove the sanctions against the government of South Sudan.

“[The AU] call upon the United States of America to lift all unilateral coercive measures imposed on the Government, its Leadership and People of South Sudan which are counterproductive to efforts promoting post conflict reconstruction and peace-building, and that due consideration be made by the United Nations to lift the Arms Embargo imposed on that country,” the AU said.

The AU also urged the US government “to lift the long-standing sanctions imposed on the Government and People of Zimbabwe, to facilitate the socio-economic recovery of the country.”

They also urged the “Government of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to lift all sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe that it inherited when it withdrew from the European Union on 31 January 2020 and all the additional sanctions that it adopted on its own.”

They added: “We acknowledge the steps taken, inter alia, political dialogue and high-level engagements between Zimbabwe and the European Union towards the removal of sanctions. We further urge that the European Union takes the requisite actions to ensure that all remaining sanctions are terminated.”

The body further urged “the European Union and the United States of America to lift the unilateral coercive sanctions imposed on the State of Eritrea.”