[miningmx.com] – ZIMBABWE Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai has
pleaded with Australia to invest in the southern African country’s mining sector
which had everything, except oil, according to a report by The Australian
newspaper.
Tsvangirai also said there were grounds for easing sanctions imposed by Australia on
the country with a view to re-imposing them, should President Robert Mugabe and
his “securocrats” seek to rig national elections scheduled for next year.
“What you need to do is make an assessment,” The Australian quoted
Tsvangirai.
“Is there sufficient reform to warrant a reward and the encouragement of that
reform? I think there is justification for the international community to remove
sanctions, because I think they’ve outlived their usefulness,” he said.
Tsvangirai said bilateral trade relations between the two countries was very
important to him, and warranted, especially as Zimbabwe was entering a period of
stability. He said the country had gold, chrome, diamonds and platinum.
“It is purely a business consideration. The country is stable. It has all the minerals
except oil. One can exploit gold, platinum, chrome, whatever,” Tsvangirai said to the
newspaper.
“The country is going through a stabilisation program and I think we need to go to
growth . . . and you can’t have growth without investment,” he said.
