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Zimbabwe Lashes Out at US Envoy for ‘Meddling’ Election Tweets

© AP Photo / ARMANDO FRANCAThe flag of Zimbabwe blows in the wind
The flag of Zimbabwe blows in the wind - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 31.05.2023
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Relations between the US and Zimbabwe have been overshadowed by Washington's unilateral sanctions, most recently in 2022, targeting, among others, the son of the Zimbabwean president. According to the Zimbabwean embassy in the US, this continues to put a strain on ties between the two nations.
The Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Elaine French, the Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Harare, to protest against her flurry of election-related posts on social media, saying, "they border on meddling in internal affairs".
The most notable post, according to the ministry, was captioned: "Register to vote and and make sure your choice is heard," among other tweets which had been made a few days before.
The acting permanent secretary of the Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs Ministry Rofina Chikava expressed concern during the meeting with French that the American diplomat was interfering in the internal affairs of the South African country through her social media activities.

"Despite Zimbabwe's strong commitment towards holding a peaceful, free and fair election, Ambassador Chikava expressed concern over the Mission's election-related social media posts, bordering on activism and meddling in Zimbabwe's internal affairs," the ministerial statement said.

Chikava stressed, that the US Embassy deviated from conventional diplomatic norms and values enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and demanded French cease publishing election-related posts.
"The Ministry also called on the US Embassy to refrain from posting such messages in the spirit of re-engagement between our two countries," the statement read.
Earlier, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is seeking re-election, said the presidential elections will take place in August, although he hasn’t announced a specific date.
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