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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Implementation of two major diamond and platinum mining investments by Russian companies are on track.

Russia’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolai Krasilnikov said this after paying a courtesy call on Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda yesterday.

Alrosa, the largest diamond company in Russia signed a joint venture agreement with the Zimbabwe Diamonds Consolidated Company for exploration, while Great Dyke Investments began mining operations in Selous last month.

Said Mr Krasilnikov: “I had the opportunity to assure the Speaker that the cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Zimbabwe is based on deep-rooted and established traditions of friendship and mutual sympathy has been developing steadily and progressively in various fields culminating in the agreements reached between President (Vladimir) Putin and President Mnangagwa.

“I stressed that two major Russian investments are well on track.

“As President Mnangagwa has alluded to on many occasions they (the companies) will contribute to the socio-economic development of the Second Republic.”

Mr Krasilnikov said Alrosa received assistance from Government in its operations and expressed gratitude for the support.

He said Zimbabwe would host the Joint Commission meeting between the two countries.

“It’s too early to talk about figures, but we will have another chapter of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation that will be held here in Harare sometime later this year and I believe that at that meeting you will hear more on the figures in terms investment,” said Mr Krasilnikov.

They also discussed parliamentary relations between the two countries.

“We got relations between the Parliament of Zimbabwe, particularly between the National Assembly and the State Duma,” said Mr Krasilnikov.

“Last year when the Speaker visited Moscow he had fruitful and good discussion with the Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, so prospects for the cooperation along the parliamentary lines are very good and we have a draft Memorandum of Understanding in the working so we hope that sometime we will be able to report to you that we have concluded the MoU.”

On global politics, he said: “We analysed and talked about the major issues on the international agenda like Syria, the Middle East and Libya and together we expressed confidence that the Russian Federation would continue coordination, with Zimbabwe in the international arena specifically at the UN in order to strengthen global and international   stability.”