dyton mupawaenda
Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter
A representative of the Bergo Group, a United Kingdom-based metal and energy commodities trade facilitator, is in the country on a due diligence mission ahead of investments which are expected soon as British companies join in the response to President Mnangagwa’s investment drive.
The company operates worldwide and has an extensive network of buyers and sellers of gold, coltan, lithium, petroleum (and derivatives), diamonds and other metals through collaborations with national governments, cooperatives, businesses and investors.
President Mnangagwa continued pressing British investors to join in when he was in Britain at the weekend to attend King Charles III’s coronation in London.
In an interview after a meeting with the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) yesterday, one of Bergo’s directors Mr David Kasonga, said the investments were in response to President Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is open for business” call as well as the country’s subsequent conducive business environment.
He said contrary to reports in foreign media, Zimbabwe was an attractive investment destination hence companies in the UK were increasingly interested in business prospects in the country.
“I would like to say a big thank you to Zimbabwe. Like I was telling the team at ZIDA we can put the rumours to rest.
“Zimbabweans are hospitable, we have been well received and welcome here and we are very happy to be here.
“We have heard the call (Zimbabwe is open for business) in the United Kingdom. We didn’t bother to listen to a lot of what the media was saying but we did our own due diligence,” he said.
Mr Kasonga said they were finalising the company’s documentation before commencing operations in the country.
To this end, he said the firm was keen on working in a transparent manner and aide to the country achieving an upper-middle income economy by 2030.
“Once we have all the legal papers, we are ready to start transacting and buying whatever commodity that we decide to buy as soon possible.
“We just want to make sure we meet all the regulations first, once we have everything we are ready to go. “We are helping to meet that vision for 2030,” said Mr Kasonga.
He said discussions with ZIDA had been fruitful and eye opening adding that the UK based company was ready to make large investments. We are coming with a different type of approach where we have backers who are willing to buy any amount of gold, diamonds so we are coming with that approach here.
“It’s first of all identifying how much is on the ground then we can make a decision so I cannot give a figure right now,” said Mr Kasonga.
In the long run, said Mr Kasonga, Bergo Group would be looking to establish a minerals refinery in the country as well as venture into real estate.
“We are starting first with buying and while we are buying we are looking not only to buy but down the line we are looking at opportunities to actually establish our own mining company and refinery as well.
“What we are doing in return is reinvesting in real estate here in Zimbabwe so it is quite an ambitious plan that we have,” he said.
Dr Mary Mawonera the group’s Zimbabwe representative said they had held informative deliberations with ZIDA, which would culminate in transparent business operations.
“I am the one who is hosting this team from the United Kingdom with the help of my colleague Beloved Malinganisa.
“These guys are hoping to invest in Zimbabwe and they are responding to the call by the President that Zimbabwe is open for business,” she said.
“Our meeting has been successful and we are hoping to now follow the processes and procedures of the land.”
Online Reporter