The ManicaPost
Tirivanhu Kateera
Correspondent
USA president Joseph Biden’s maiden speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) came as a surprise to some, while to others it was somehow expected, especially considering recent historical decisions made by the USA to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan after about two decades in military involvement in that country.
President Biden presented his country’s patent departure from its traditional foreign policy premised on aggression and isolationism, previously used on vulnerable countries such as Zimbabwe and Iraq to impose illegal sanctions and military invasion respectively.
In his speech, President Biden justified his country’s departure from Afghanistan, saying he was charting his country towards peaceful co-existence with fellow nations of the world.
He stressed that his country was substituting aggression with diplomacy in order to achieve its foreign policy which was previously marred by controversy especially during the tenures of George W. Bush and Donald Trump.
Despite disappointment expressed by US allies over the sudden and unilateral withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Biden reiterated that the pulling out was good for the American people as the country had scored a first in renouncing from war after several years in the trenches in several countries around the world.
President Biden noted that the US was offering its cooperation towards solving the world’s attendant crises, namely, the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and cyber war.
He said global cooperation and technological innovation were two important pillars in solving the crises.
In this regard, the US’ departure from aggression to diplomacy creates an important window for developing countries suffering from the yoke of US illegal sanctions.
The countries currently suffering from the US’ aggression and isolationism foreign policy include Balkans, Belarus, Burma, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe.
This revelation by the US must be expeditiously utilised to push the re-engagement drive, while President Biden reign lasts as it remains unclear what will happen after his tenure.
The US, together with wealthier nations should be put to task to meet their respective pledges towards solving the leading global problems identified at the 76th session of the UNGA.
Relating to Covid-19 vaccination access, the same nations, as argued by President Mnangagwa in his UNGA address, should depart from vaccination nationalism to improve poorer nations’ access to the lifesaving drugs.
In this regard, the World Health Organisation (WHO) ‘s intellectual property rights guarantee should be waivered to allow local pharmaceuticals to produce the vaccines in Africa.
This will certainly reduce the cost of vaccines, creating jobs and resuscitation of other downstream industries.
President Biden’s pledge for diplomacy ahead of aggression should be reciprocated with the removal of sanctions as demanded by President Mnangagwa and presidents of Botswana and South Africa at the UNGA 76th sessions and other international fora.
To that end, Government, progressive forces, anti-sanctions establishments, SADC and the African Union should compile a comprehensive list of the losses Zimbabwe has suffered from the effects of the illegal sanctions ahead of the visit by the UN special rapporteur, Ms Alena Douhan.
In Zimbabwe, the unilateral coercive measures to date have impacted negatively on human rights, economic progression of the country, reduced Foreign Direct Investment and the fight against Covid-19 among others.
It should be made clear at this point that the US’ envisaged return to multilateralism would be consummated in full if that country removes all impediments which it has used as an albatross to Zimbabwe and other developing countries’ participation in global affairs.
Furthermore, President Mnangagwa’s call to an end to all forms of racial segregation and his support for the establishment of a Permanent Forum of People of African Descent should catalyse racial equality in such racially diverse societies in the US and elsewhere.
The UN-crafted Sustainable Development Goals require global action and cooperation.
The leading crises, namely Covid-19 and climate change, both negate the attainment of the 17 ambitious goals.
Equally threatened too is Africa’s Agenda 2063 and Zimbabwe’s own Vision 2030.
Investment and cooperation towards fighting the two global crises, together with emerging threats should be prime responsibilities the world should involve itself with.
Illegal sanctions are evil and are a weapon of mass destructions.
The illegal sanctions on countries like Zimbabwe should be removed now as it will allow Government to improve the living standards of the general populace as enunciated in Vision 2030.
