President Robert Mugabe told prospective investors in the country's mining sector that the unity government he leads with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has achieved "satisfactory progress" towards a stable economy and a political environment conducive to business.
Mr. Mugabe was tacitly responding to charges by Mr. Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change that he and HIS ZANU-PF have not fulfilled the commitments they made one year ago through his signature of the Global Political Agreement also signed by Mr. Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, a rival MDC leader now serving as deputy prime minister.
Harare correspondent Thomas Chiripasi of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe reported.
Before its steep decline in the past decade, Zimbabwe's mining sector accounted for 7% of gross domestic product and half of foreign earnings. Since February, 15 new projects worth US$450 million have been approved, creating more than 3,500 jobs.
Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma told reporter Sandra Nyaira of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that many foreign investors understand that the new political dispensation is permanent, so they are prepared to make financial commitments.
But political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya said Mr. Mugabe's appeal for investment could fall on deaf ears as the international community is not convinced property rights are protected.
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