MMCZ denies giving preference to Belarusian diamond buyers

The Zimbabwean government has denied that it is giving preference to Belarusian diamond buyers to acquire Marange stones under unclear circumstances.
Bulawayo24 quoted Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) general manager Tongai Muzenda as saying the diamond auctions were opened to interested buyers.
"There are no companies participating at the auctions from Belarus but the problem could be on the ownership side,” he said.
"Most of the companies participating in our auctions are from Dubai, Antwerp (Belgium) and India."
Muzenda said other diamond buyers were from South Africa, Botswana and European countries.
"There are three players currently mining and marketing diamonds in Zimbabwe, that is, Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), Anjin and Murowa Diamonds who are private players in the industry,” he said.
"For Murowa all their diamonds go to Antwerp but for the other companies we go for auctions."
Meanwhile, ZCDC is allegedly sitting on huge stockpiles of rough while working "on a framework" to get back on the market.
ZCDC is the largest diamond producer in Zimbabwe.
The country is targeting to produce 5 million carats of diamonds this year, up from 4 million carats in 2021.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished