The 25th of October 2025 stands as one of the most significant days for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as we join the Government and people of the Republic of Zimbabwe to commemorate the Anti-Sanctions Day. This day was set aside by the 39th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania in August 2019 for the SADC region to collectively call for the unconditional lifting of the prolonged sanctions imposed on one of the founding Member States of SADC, the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Sanctions on Zimbabwe have evolved in form and target over the years, yet their effect has frequently destabilised Zimbabwe, and the SADC region at large. SADC believes that the prosperity and livelihood of any civilisation can and should not be held at ransom by any such external forces, as has been the case with the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
The harsh economic and social realities emanating from these sanctions remain emblematic of the multiple attacks on Zimbabwe’s human and peoples’ rights. Such impositions run counter to our collective aspirations for global interdependence and the attainment of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 – the Africa we want, which envisions a peaceful, integrated, and prosperous Africa. Most importantly, the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe continue to undermine SADC’s pursuit of regional economic integration by limiting Zimbabwe’s full participation in trade, investment and shared economic growth of the SADC region.
It is therefore most befitting that this year’s commemoration of the Anti-Sanctions Day is held under the theme ‘Inclusive Development through Heritage-based Innovation and Industrialisation, in a Multilateral world.’ This theme acknowledges our shared pursuit of inclusive growth, resilience and sustainable development as the global system and Zimbabwe navigate evolving challenges together.
On this Anti-Sanctions Day, we reaffirm SADC’s solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe and reiterate our enduring call for the immediate lifting of these sanctions. We urge those that have imposed these sanctions to revisit their stance and engage in constructive dialogue within the context of our modern multilateral world. Zimbabwe, a nation of enormous potential, has demonstrated resilience over time, and the lifting of sanctions will unlock the country’s full potential and pave the way for its meaningful contribution to the prosperity of the SADC region and the African continent.
May I invite all the 16 SADC Member States, in the spirit of solidarity that has defined the region for over 45 years since the establishment of SADC, to stand with Zimbabwe and join the call for the unconditional lifting of the sanctions. Together, let us advance inclusive development where no country is left behind as we pursue a shared future marked by peace, stability, and prosperity of our people.