Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Situation in Zimbabwe

President Biden terminated the national emergency declared in 2003 regarding Zimbabwe, revoking three executive orders (13288, 13391, and 13469) that had imposed sanctions related to undermining democratic processes in Zimbabwe. The termination takes effect immediately but preserves any pending legal actions, matured rights, or penalties incurred before this date.

Federal Register Open PDF 89 FR 15945

Impact dates

Mar 4, 2024
Termination of national emergency and revocation of three executive orders takes effect

Key directives

Terminate national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288 of March 6, 2003
Revoke Executive Order 13288, Executive Order 13391, and Executive Order 13469
Preserve actions taken, pending proceedings, matured rights, duties, and penalties incurred prior to March 4, 2024

Timeline

Immediate

National emergency declaration terminated
Executive Orders 13288, 13391, and 13469 revoked
Sanctions authorities under these specific orders lapse

Near term (90d)

Treasury Department expected to remove Zimbabwe Specially Designated Nationals from SDN List
Financial institutions to adjust compliance procedures
Pending enforcement actions to conclude under preserved authorities

Long term

Potential shift in U.S.-Zimbabwe diplomatic and economic relations
Possible congressional review or new sanctions legislation if concerns persist

Risks & tensions

Biden explicitly notes ongoing concerns about violence, human rights abuses, and corruption in Zimbabwe despite termination—creating tension between policy action and stated values
Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) and other statutory authorities may maintain some sanctions independently of this EO termination
Preservation clause in Section 1 creates legal complexity for ongoing enforcement actions and litigation
Low media visibility despite meaningful foreign policy shift; potential for limited domestic oversight of implementation