HARARE – Zimbabwean Finance Minister Tendai Biti will lead a joint government and business delegation to neighbouring Botswana to discuss the modalities of a 500-million pula (aboutUS$70 million) credit facility availed by Gaborone.

“I will be taking business people from the CZI (Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries) to Botswana …. the minister (of finance) in Botswana has advised me to do that in the next few months” Biti told a CZI meeting in Harare at the weekend.

The money is earmarked for use to revive Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector that is struggling to shake off the debilitating effects of a decade of political strife and acute recession.

Relations between Zimbabwe and Botswana – strained in recent years chiefly because of Gaborone’s outspoken criticism of President Robert Mugabe’s controversial rule –appear to have thawed after the formation of a unity government that includes the former opposition MDC party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe is also negotiating with South Africa for the release of another US$50 million credit facility promised by Pretoria last year.

The Harare coalition has said in total it requires $10 billion to bring back Zimbabwe on its feet and on the path to sustainable economic recovery.

But the administration has attracted little international support beyond strictly humanitarian aid with multi-lateral lenders demanding repayment of outstanding debt before new loans can be given.

On the hand, rich Western nations able to provide required grants and soft loans are reluctant to fund the administration directly, insisting Harare must first step up the pace of democratic reforms, do more to uphold human rights and the rule of law before they give support.

By Zimonline