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It remains to be seen if Mugabe will succumb to pressure from the sanctions
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July 04, 2008, 18:30
Thulasizwe Simelane, Harare
Zimbabwe's ailing economy has begun feeling the pinch of further restrictions imposed by Western nations following last month's controversial presidential run-off election. The country is currently facing a cash shortage after its long time supplier of bank note printing paper pulled out, citing the deteriorating political crisis.
Pressure is also mounting on other European companies to divert from Zimbabwe to squeeze President Robert Mugabe into negotiating with the opposition.
To deal with hyperinflation the Zimbabwean Reserve Bank has, in the past, simply responded by printing more money. Earlier this week however, Giesecke de Vrient - the German company that has been supplying bank note printing paper to Zimbabwe for the past 40 years - withdrew.
The European Union and United Nations Security Council are debating whether to slap further sanctions on Zimbabwe and its leaders. Britain's largest retailer, Tesco, has also entered the fray, announcing it will no longer stock produce from Zimbabwe.
Zanu-PF fights back
The ruling Zanu-PF says these new sanctions reveal those behind what is called an illegal regime change agenda and its spokesperson, Chris Mutsvangwa, has likened the restrictions to “picking meat from bad bones”.
Canada has already nailed its colours to the mast announcing restrictions on travel, work and study for government officials and their families.
To what extent sanctions succeed in cornering President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF remains to be seen, but the ruling party looks set to dig its heels in on this issue, as it's already placed the lifting of all sanctions as a pre-requisite for any dialogue with the opposition.
Meanwhile, Nigeria - Africa's most populous nation - has expressed strong displeasure at both the violent campaign and its result. Its foreign minister, Ojo Maduekwe, says they do not consider the outcome of the election as a basis for moving forward.
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