By Margaret Kamba The Look East Policy embarked on by Zimbabwe many years ago when our former colonial masters tried to punish us for giving back the land to the rightful owners has paid off resoundingly. Since the beginning of the deadly COVID19, Zimbabwe has witnessed nothing but true friendship from the People’s Republic of China in kind gestures that have seen huge medical supplies jet into the country as well as medical teams. This friendship dating back as far as the liberation struggle for this country from colonial rule andeven further than that to trade as early back as the first century, it is amazing how PRC has helpedZimbabwe beat the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. In the words of Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun “It is not only an aid, but alsofriendship.” Zimbabwe is currently managing the relatively low cases which currently stand at 36 despite battling with the illegal sanctions imposed on the country. President and First Secretary Cde E.D Mnangagwa is on record for commending the support from all those against the illegally imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe. “Zimbabwe is extremely grateful to SADC and AU for being univocal and steadfast in their call for the unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. As you are aware United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Michelle Bachelet UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have condemned these restrictive measures which continue to severely undermine Zimbabwe’s economic development and destabilize an economy already besieged by the lingering aftermath of Cyclone Idai and widespread drought and food insecurity,” Cde Mnangagwa said. “My government continues to call for the total and unconditional removal of all the illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe. Their continued imposition merely exacerbates existing hardships and further endangers the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable in our country. Beyond that the sanctions severely undermine Zimbabwe’s ability to more effectively respond to the COVID19 pandemic.” ZANU PF Secretary for War Veterans Cde Douglas Mahiya explained how the sanctions have affected the country during this time. “All the other countries have not been able to confront the covid19 on their own because no countrywas ready. All the countries were economically and socially ambushed by the pandemic. So itneeded extra financing because what was needed to be done required a lot of money. There was need to look at PPEs, there was need to look at conducive infrastructure, isolation centres and theequipment necessary and that is very expensive. Just imagine how much the Ministry of Health will need to investigate a case, to find out who could have met case X, you can see how expensive it is. “Unfortunately other countries got some money from international financiers like the IMF and theWorld Bank but Zimbabwe did not get anything. In other words it is the reason why we complain of sanctions because had it not been because of the sanctions, Zimbabwe would also have gotten a share from those international institution and that would have helped. “So the effect of sanctions has caused Zimbabwe to suffer more than other countries, however Ihighly commend the leadership of this country, the President Cde E.D Mnangagwa who was braveand shrewd enough to confront the situation on his own and the manner and pattern with which the government confronted the pandemic is out of this world. Cde Mahiya commended the role played by the private sector and challenged them to do the samefor the illegally imposed sanctions. “With the little resources in this country, the requirements and demands by the pandemic havebeen met by government. The unity that we found in government and private sector, if this wouldbe done to confront the need to remove the sanctions, I want to believe that the sanctions will beremoved because the private sector has done what it has never done to heed the call bygovernment to confront the COVID19.”