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Zimbabwe appeals for more investment
[Mail and Globe] Zimbabwe's political and business leaders on Friday made an impassioned appeal for an end to sanctions and for more international investment, hours ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Barack Obama. "Sanctions in this juncture in our history are meaningless," said Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara. "Help us help ourselves by removing all those sanctions so Zimbabwe can have a fresh start," Mutambara told the World Economic Forum on Africa, held in Cape Town. Mutambara followed former opposition leader Tsvangirai into a unity government in February, hoping to weaken the authority of long-time President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai is touring Western countries in a bid to persuade them to end sanctions and provide vitally needed aid to kick-start Zimbabwe's battered economy. But he faces an uphill struggle because of international mistrust of Mugabe, who still seems reluctant to loosen his grip on power and embrace market reforms. Zimbabwe's cash-strapped African neighbours have failed to respond to its pleas for a $2-billion economic rescue package. Investors from South Africa -- the continent's richest country -- are waiting the implementation of a new bilateral investment-promotion and -protection agreement before they move in. "Zimbabwe doesn't have the luxury of time on its side," warned South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe. Posted by: Fred 2009-06-13 |
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