by Rungano Dzikira

Outgoing British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Catriona Laing says the United Kingdom (UK) will continue supporting Zimbabwe revive its economy though she stressed the need for economic and political reforms.

Addressing the media at a press briefing in the capital, Laing said the UK was willing to assist Zimbabwe.

"The UK will continue to supporting the Zimbabwean Government in its economic reforms in order to improve Zimbabwean citizens’ livelihoods," she said.

In Appreciation, Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube said the UK had since 2009 availed £1 billion to Zimbabwe in support of various sectors of the economy.

At the same juncture, Minister Ncube also urged the business community to be receptive towards bond notes as it is still a legal tender, insisting currency will only change as part of broader economic reforms.

He also assured that Government was coming up with a raft of measures to address the anomalies in the financial sector, and called on discipline from the transacting public.

Prof Ncube’s remarks to reassure business and the public in general comes on the back of growing uncertainty of bond notes’ continuous use as legal tender following his earlier remarks that the use of the surrogate currency was driving the United States Dollar (USD) out of circulation.

Since assuming office as Finance Minister, this September, Prof Ncube has hit the ground running managing to secure a 250 million loan from UK-based investment firm, Gemcorp Group, in line with the new Government’s thrust to revive the economy.