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Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter

FORMER New Zealand Prime Minister, who is also the chairperson of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Right Honourable Helen Clark is in the country to advocate the adoption of transparency in the extractive sector, and enhance the governance of mineral resources.

The visit is part of President Mnangagwa’s clarion call for re-engagement with the rest of the world, especially those nations that did not want to work with Harare.

Speaking after a closed door meeting with Honourable Clarks in Harare yesterday, Acting President Kembo Mohadi said: “It is just a courtesy call. She is the chairperson or the president of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which you are aware of.

“They are trying to sell an initiative that there be transparency in the extractive industry in mining and all other things and how the proceeds from the mines are actually employed towards the development of the people. This is a tripartite sort of a thing because there is going to be the Government, there is going to be the private sector and also civil society.”

VP Mohadi added that Hon Clark had come to “let us know the initiative they are doing, and if we are interested in joining, we could join”.

“We will have to look at the initiative with the Ministry of Mines and as a Government we will then make a decision,” he said.

Hon Clark said they were willing to engage the Second Republic.

“I came as the chair of the global board, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and it has a global standard on this practice in governance of extractive industries.

“We have 24 African member countries who are implementing the standard and there has been some indication that Zimbabwe would want to explore this again.

“So we have come with senior staff from the secretariat to talk with ministers, just now with the Acting President (Mohadi) to talk about what we think would be the advantages for Zimbabwe,” she said.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo said the visit of such a high-powered delegation resonated well with the vision of the Second Republic.

“The Second Republic’s values have always been anchored on transparency and therefore transparency is not a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe and if it helps to be a third party endorsement into our re-engagement processes, then this it shall be.

“Secondly, if it is going to enhance our capabilities within our mining sector accountability and if it is going to enhance our geological survey state of affairs like they have done with DRC and other African countries, then these are the advantages which we have got to look at,” said Minister Moyo.