The European Union extends travel and economic sanctions

The European Union has extended travel and economic sanctions targeting Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle. The EU cited a lack of progress in implementing the country’s power sharing Global Political Agreement as reason for the extension. Civil Society Organizations had called for the extension of the targeted measures, in light of the ongoing human rights violations. In the meantime the situation in the Chiadzwa diamonds area remains worrying, although the appointment of Abbey Chikane as Kimberly Process Monitor might prove to be a step in the right direction.