DIAMONDS WILL HAVE TO BE FACTORED INTO ZIMBABWE’S STATE BUDGET

Zimbabwe’s state budget will have to be revised to take into account rough diamond sales following last week’s decision by the Kimberley Process to allow the export of Marange diamonds, Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Tendai Biti said on Thursday.

Biti said that in light of the KP decision, he was “seriously considering” increasing the budget.

The New Zimbabwe website quoted Biti saying that he would “engage” with Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu to factor in revenue from diamond sales.

Mpofu, for his part, celebrated the decision, declaring that Zimbabwe would “shock the world” and “unleash [its] worthiness.”