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Mashonaland West Bureau

An Indian mining company is considering expanding its wings to Zimbabwe with hopes of investing in gold and copper mining as the Second Republic’s ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra continues to charm international players.

NV Mining Group chief executive officer, Mr Ajay Agrarwal said Zimbabwe’s peaceful environment, favourable laws and infrastructure development had lured the company to explore prospects.

“We are looking at investing in Zimbabwe. We are eyeing various sectors with gold and copper being some of them.

“At the moment, we are just here looking at the investment climate,” said Mr Agrarwal.

He encouraged other international companies to invest in the Zimbabwe to dispel negative news by some Western media houses which were bent on discouraging investment in the country.

Zimbabwe has been portrayed as an unsafe investment destination by some Western media companies who spread unfounded claims of political violence, a weak economy and dilapidated infrastructure.

“I think from an investment point of view, what I have seen in Zimbabwe is that President Mnangagwa is very positive. He has put target of a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023 and this is an opportunity for locals and foreigners to invest in Zimbabwe’s mining industry. Zimbabwe is an open, warm and welcoming country. The people are very friendly and the government is going out of the way to get investment and once you come into the country you feel at home.

“The coordinated-government departments make it easy for an investor to get licenses with the responses being so positive. Zimbabwe has changed a lot and generally, the infrastructure is improving which makes it easy for us to import goods and travel across the country to explore investment opportunities,” he added.

President Mnangagwa has repeatedly called for developed strategies that help attract investors, with local authorities urged to create lasting synergies with the Zimbabwe Investment Authority and other Government departments.

Chinese investors, charmed by the Second Republic, have also invested in the country with the defunct Alaska Smelting Plant and Mhangura Copper Mines now poised for reopening. The two mines are expected to resume operations this year, creating employment for over a 1 000 locals in line with Vision 2030.