Antwerp Mission Visits Zimbabwe, Wants Long-Term Development

President Robert Mugabe gets an armed escort outside the national ZANU-PF conference during December of 2008.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

Antwerp Mission Visits Zimbabwe, Wants Long-Term Development

(November 16, '10, 7:56 IDEX Online Staff Reporter)

(IDEX Online News) - A high-level delegation organized by the AWDC is visiting Zimbabwe, among other things “to explore how Antwerp could contribute to a sustainable working arrangement between Zimbabwe and the Kimberley Process,” the AWDC said Tuesday.

“AWDC felt that Antwerp’s special expertise could contribute positively to resolve outstanding issues, by providing the necessary infrastructure and policy guidelines. The mission to Zimbabwe is being undertaken in full compliance with current EU restrictive measures on Zimbabwe,” the organization added.

The stated goal of the mission is to facilitate the resumption of all diamond exports from Zimbabwe in full compliance with all relevant international guidelines. Joining the group are members of the AWDC board of directors, diamantaires, insurance people, shipping and technology specialists, bankers and other experts.

Antwerp is stepping forward in an attempt to take a leadership role on the issue. It said that reaching a solution to the Zimbabwe “dilemma” could set the stage for a new partnership between Zimbabwe and Belgium, “providing a steady and transparent flow of revenue, contributing to the economic and social wellbeing of the country’s citizens.”