Publications
Partners
Dar es Salaam - Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Thursday his country no longer posed a risk to investors and that the political crisis that destroyed the economy "no longer exists".
"The perceived risk on Zimbabwe does no longer exist... what country in Africa is risk-free?" Tsvangirai told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Africa.
"Zimbabwe is ready to do business. If Africa's time has come for investment then Zimbabwe cannot miss the boat. It must be part of that opportunity," he said.
The southern Africa country is still struggling to recover from economic collapse and a protracted political crisis that followed its disputed 2008 elections pitting then opposition chief Tsvangirai against President Robert Mugabe.
The two men formed a power-sharing government last year in which Tsvangirai became prime minister, but it has been beset by political differences.
"The political crisis... no longer exists. The country is making progress and it is time investors started looking at Zimbabwe from a different perspective," Tsvangirai said.
Tsvangirai said he would not enter a coalition government again, but saying it was "necessary" to work with Mugabe because the country had to undergo a transition after the disputed elections.
But, he added, "I think it is a very painful exercise... It is painful in so far as every day you are negotiating".
"Would I do this again? I don't think so. I think it is a bad precedent."
"It would be unfortunate if the next election is conducted in an atmosphere of violence, in an atmosphere of undermining the mandate of the people," said the prime minister, who pulled out of the second round presidential run-off poll because of violence against his supporters.
Tsvangirai is one of 11 African leaders gathered in Dar Es Salaam for the WEF to discuss the continent's strategies in the wake of the global recession.
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara called for the complete lifting of Western sanctions against Mugabe and his inner circle.
"We are calling for the total, unequivocal removal of all sanctions," he said, arguing that "capital is a coward" as no business would invest in Zimbabwe if the country's top officials are targeted by sanctions.
"The intended target is the individual but the impact of the sanctions is the entire economy. No lines of credit, no investors. The brand of the country is damaged."
- Sapa
