ZIDERA amendment bill passes initial stages

A BILL which is meant to amend the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (ZIDERA) passed a United States Senate committee stage on Tuesday.
The bill, which was introduced by senators Jeff Flake and Chris Coons in March this year, updates ZIDERA and states the steps Zimbabwe needs to take to have sanctions its lifted, including ensuring that the southern African nation’s upcoming elections on July 30 are free, fair, and credible.
The bill passed the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and will be debated by the Senate before being sent to the US Congress.
“The upcoming elections are a once-in-a-generation chance for the people of Zimbabwe to move forward after decades of autocratic rule,” Senator Flake said in a statement prefacing the bill.
“The ZIDERA Amendment Act reinforces that if the Government of Zimbabwe is serious about bringing change to its people, starting with free and fair elections, it will find a willing partner in the US,” he added.
Flake and Coons formulated the bill after leading a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Zimbabwe in April, both senators are part of the committee.
“This legislation reflects our sincere hope that Zimbabwe makes a transition to a peaceful, democratic, just, and prosperous nation,” Coons said.
“A free, fair, and credible election is a necessary, but insufficient step to increased levels and areas of cooperation with the United States. Zimbabwe’s leaders must also commit to a peaceful and constitutional transfer of power in order to reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people. We look forward to the fulfilment of the commitments President Mnangagwa has made to the people of Zimbabwe to pursue broader political and economic reform, and to a deeper partnership between the United States and Zimbabwe as sufficient progress is made on these necessary reforms,” he