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Heather Charema Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe Diamond Centre is attracting business as players in different commercial sectors strategically position themselves to exploit new opportunities that could arise as the country gears up to auction diamonds locally in two months’ time.
The centre’s chairman Mr Lovemore Kurotwi told The Herald yesterday that 10 key service providers from the banking, insurance, security, travel, hotel, courier services, food and retail sector had taken up space at the centre.
“We want to create a diamond industry that meets the same international standards like auction centres in Dubai and Antwerp,” he said.
“As we gear up for the opening of the diamond auction in November, 10 key service providers from the corporate world have expressed interest to set up businesses at the centre.”
He said as preparations for the opening of the auction gather momentum, the corporate world was looking for new opportunities.
“We want to create an industry within the complex which will enable the diamond centre to become a one-stop-shop offering a broad ranges of services for our clients,” said Mr Kurotwi.
He said international buyers would be airlifted from the Harare International Airport to the diamond centre and back.
“The country benefits when we trade diamonds locally,” Mr Kurotwi said.
“There is going to be upstream and downstream benefits through the establishment of a local bourse.”
Zimbabwe is the only country among diamond producers that is still trading diamonds in their raw form.
He said Botswana, Angola, South Africa and Namibia were cutting and polishing their diamonds.
“The countries I have mentioned, in 2013 raked in over a billion dollars. Botswana sold at least 10 million carats and raked in $1,3 billion and as for us Zimbabwe, we sold 12 million carats during the same period and we pocketed $580 million,” Mr Kurotwi said.
The ZDC is putting final touches to six factories for diamond cutting and polishing ahead of the opening of the auctions in November.
A massive auction floor which can accommodate 38 companies viewing diamonds at the same time has been completed.
Each of the factories will house 200 cutters and polishers, creating over 100 000 jobs for the nation, according to the ZDC.
Zimbabwe says it will start auctioning its diamonds locally in November to plug leakages and boost diamond revenue.
Online Reporter