Business / Economy
International Diamond Conference set for the resort town of Victoria Falls
20 Jun 2012 at 04:12hrs | Views
Government says the International Diamond Conference set for the resort
town of Victoria Falls early next month will provide the country with an
opportunity to tell the world about its contribution to the growth of
the global diamond trade.
The conference is being organised by international stakeholders in the diamond industry with officials from the World Diamond Council, the World Federation of Diamond as well as local players expected to be some of the participants at the high level conference.
Mines and Mining Development Minister, Dr. Obert Mpofu said the conference will also provide the country with an opportunity to tell the world that it has complied with the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme regulations, adding that despite illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West, the demand for local diamonds is still on the increase, hence its high contribution of more than $400 million to the fiscus over in the last 12 months.
"No other company or mineral has contributed that much to the fiscus in the last 10 years. Those that say diamond has not contributed to the fiscus are people pursuing political agendas which are misplaced," said Dr Mpofu.
Dr. Mpofu said the country's detractors will never want to see Zimbabwe develop and will target the major contributors to the economy such diamond and frustrate its trade to ensure that the economy remains stagnant.
The conference which is also expected to attract government ministers will run from the 12th to the 13th of July and will among other things focus on issues surrounding the diamond trade as well as diamond marketing.
The conference is being organised by international stakeholders in the diamond industry with officials from the World Diamond Council, the World Federation of Diamond as well as local players expected to be some of the participants at the high level conference.
Mines and Mining Development Minister, Dr. Obert Mpofu said the conference will also provide the country with an opportunity to tell the world that it has complied with the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme regulations, adding that despite illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West, the demand for local diamonds is still on the increase, hence its high contribution of more than $400 million to the fiscus over in the last 12 months.
"No other company or mineral has contributed that much to the fiscus in the last 10 years. Those that say diamond has not contributed to the fiscus are people pursuing political agendas which are misplaced," said Dr Mpofu.
Dr. Mpofu said the country's detractors will never want to see Zimbabwe develop and will target the major contributors to the economy such diamond and frustrate its trade to ensure that the economy remains stagnant.
The conference which is also expected to attract government ministers will run from the 12th to the 13th of July and will among other things focus on issues surrounding the diamond trade as well as diamond marketing.
Source - Zbc
