via Zim diamonds to enter European market by December | SW Radio Africa by Alex Bell October 30, 2013
Zimbabwe’s controversial diamonds could enter the European market by the end of this year, following a meeting of high level Belgium traders in Harare at the weekend.
The delegation from the Antwerp World Diamond Council met with Zimbabwe government officials and stakeholders in the diamond sector, to discuss future trade plans.
The meeting is the first since targeted restrictive measures, in place against the state run Zimbabwe Mining and Development Corporation (ZMDC) were lifted by Europe in September.
The measures had been imposed originally because of concerns that the ZMDC was financially backing ZANU PF’s campaign to cling to power in Zimbabwe.
There have also been reports that indicate that the country’s diamonds were responsible for financing a ‘parallel government’ in Zimbabwe, through the ZMDC.
Human rights groups have raised concerns that diamond proceeds, which were never remitted to the treasury, were used by ZANU PF to manipulate the July election.
These claims have been ignored by Europe, with Belgium leading the push for the restrictive measures to be removed from the ZMDC.
Following the weekend meeting Harare, officials said that the first batch of Zimbabwe diamonds were due to be sent to Belgium by the end of the year. A ‘high powered’ Zim delegation is also set to visit the diamond trading hub of Antwerp soon.
COMMENTS
Hope the move will benefit the country. @ large .
Shame…..this is the shortest piece I have seen from Alex bell in a long time. She still however does her best to label the sanctions as ‘targetted’ and to justify them…….yes alex, they were targetted……at our economy!
And please do not get me wrong, I am not placing all the blame on sanctions for our economic hardships….for that we would need to sit for a long discussion…..But at the same time it is downright dishonest to state that the wests and those that are still fighting the cold war had never taken any steps that Can defined as direct aggresion on our economy…..history will tell the true story and some will have to swallow their pride and admit to certain realities……tough luck
Yes Rob its a known fact but some people will never listen.
If a thief steals and now he has will he/she ever have entitlment to the loot, will you now be team mates to continue the cannage. ZANU PF stole the 2013 election, they can never be entitled to the establish a world acknowledged government, unless if the world has such short memory or feels that the feelings were not based on facts. ZANU PF lost election since 2002.
@ Rob and Fungai
“Hello, hold on….”
Matii? Ndanzwa kuti ‘shame’, ‘shame’ kwakanaka here? Umwe hanzi’Shame on people…” Fungai, how can shame climb people ? Unoakwira sei anhu acho? Iweka iwe, uzvibate.
We hope this diamond revenue will help steer our economy.