Published: 12 May 2014

The Diamond Technology Centre in Mt Hampden is set to open in June.

Chair of the centre, Lovemore Kurotwi, said that "the country is set to benefit immensely from the project with the creation of 100 000 new jobs."

Other benefits he listed were local value addition, increased tourism as the centre would attract foreign buyers to the country, and the resultant spillover effects on the transport and hospitality sectors.

Project cost has been estimated at upwards of US$50 million.

Some of the facilities at the centre are a five-star hotel, banks and a mall.

The auction floor will accommodate 50 companies, and the centre will also host insurance companies, courier firms and regulatory services.

Talks with private air charter operators to ferry buyers from Harare International Airport to Charles Prince Airport were progressing.

It will be linked with similar centres globally such as in Belgium, Botswana and the United Arab Emirates.
- The Herald

You might also want to read this

• Zimbabwe to auction 500 000 carats
• Murowa begins diamond exploration in Chivi
• CCTV sells out diamond-thieving guard
• ZCDC to extract Chihota diamonds
• African govts fight 'conflict diamonds' resolution
• Zimbabwe courts diamond buyers in Belgium
• Govt to improve diamond sector governance
• River Ranch Mine remains idle
• Zimbabwe resumes diamond auction
• Chinese firm loses Zim diamonds court battle