SADC summit tells the West to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe

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SADC summit tells the West to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe

(Xinhua) 13:23, August 19, 2013

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LILONGWE, Aug. 18 -- The 33rd South Africa Development Community (SADC) Summit for Heads of State and Government held Malawi capita, Lilongwe, called on the West to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe, following successful elections in July.

According to the communiqué released at the end of Summit on Sunday, Heads of State and Government from member countries, the regional body is satisfied with the manner in which the elections were conducted and see no reasons for Zimbabwe to continue suffering.

The Communiqué reads in part: "The Summit noted with satisfaction the holding of free and peaceful harmonized elections on July 31, 2013 in Zimbabwe. The Summit reiterated its call for the lifting of all forms of sanctions hitherto imposed on Zimbabwe. "

SADC Chairperson and Malawi President, Joyce Banda, again told journalists after the Summit had closed that it was the poor Zimbabweans who were feeling the pangs of the sanctions imposed on their country.

"I always say that when sanctions are put on a country, it is not the elite like me who suffers: who suffer most are the poor and those people living in the villages under poor conditions," said the SADC chairperson.

The Summit also deplored the loss of human lives and destruction of property in Egypt following the removal of the constitutionally elected government.

"The Summit called upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint and begin the process of dialogue and reconciliation and to urgently work towards the return of constitutional normalcy," continued the communiqué.

The Lilongwe Summit also elected the regional body's new office bearers namely, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax of Tanzania as new SADC Executive Secretary General replacing Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salomao whose term ended on Sunday, and Robert Mugabe as Vice Chairperson.

According to the communiqué, Zimbabwe will host the next Ordinary SADC Summit for Heads of State in August 2014.

（Editor：LiangJun、Zhang Qian）