By A Correspondent- United Nations special rapporteur Alena Douhan has urged the United States and other western countries to lift the sanctions imposed on the country.

After her 10-day working visit in Zimbabwe Douhan blamed the restrictive measures for creating unintended ripple effect of hindering the county’s ability to guarantee the functioning of public institutions.

“Over the last 20 years, sanctions and various forms of over-compliance with sanctions have had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitation, education and employment,” she said.

“This situation also limits Zimbabwe’s ability to guarantee the functioning of public institutions, delivery of services, and maintenance of essential infrastructure, and undermines the right to development of the Zimbabwean people and impedes the achievement of the sustainable development goals,” said Douhan the UN special rapporteur.

Calls for the removal of the illegal sanctions continue to grow louder with institutions like the African Union and SADC standing in Zimbabwe’s corner.-statemedia