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Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo welcomes Norwegian ambassador Mr Bard Hopland at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday

Senior Reporter
Norway’s Ambassador to Harare Mr Bard Hopland yesterday pledged Oslo’s willingness to share expertise in natural resources management with Zimbabwe. After paying a courtesy call on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo in Harare yesterday, ambassador Hopland said: “We discussed also, in general, Norwegian experience within the area of natural resources management and management of revenue from natural resources, the Sovereign Wealth Fund, as you may know,” he said.

“If you might know, we have already provided experts in this field who were here in March and participated in the parliamentary seminar on Zim-Asset and we will also continue to discuss with the Minister of Finance how we could follow up on the issue of natural resources management and the Norwegian experience in that regard.”

In Norway, foreigners do not hold equity in natural resources or mineral reserves, with the government owning these on the citizens’ behalf.

Ambassador Hopland pledged to contribute to the development of Zimbabwe’s media industry.

“I commended the minister with his engagement approach with regards to media issues and encouraged him to align media policies and laws with the new Constitution,” he said.  “We also discussed how we could contribute in this regard and he gave me some ideas that I will consider and continue to discuss with the minister and officials in his ministry.”

Sources who attended the meeting said Prof Moyo expressed  Government’s disappointment with Norway’s decision to side with Britain on the illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe.

“The minister said it was difficult to understand how Norway, which had supported Zimbabwe during the liberation struggle, sided with Britain and the EU on the issue of sanctions,” said a source.

“The minister said Norway was supposed to take a leadership role, to be an honest broker in the dispute between Britain and Zimbabwe.”