US billionaire Elon Musk has expressed interest in Zimbabwe's lithium mining sector and has already begun discussions with the country's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Christopher Mutsvangwa, spokesman for the country's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front party (ZANU–PF) told the press.
"The latest billionaire to show interest in our lithium is none other than Tesla boss Elon Musk," said Mutsvangwa. "He has made overtures to our president and our president has sent a message to him that if he wants to come to invest in Zimbabwe it is open season, after all, he is a son of this region, he is originally South African," Mutsvangwa stated.
According to the spokesman, as a native of Africa, Musk is eager to help Zimbabwe in its development.
"He has wider interests too. He is Afrikaner and we have had Afrikaner farmers. He wants all issues about Zimbabwe's land reform settled, he wants peace and prosperity for the region," Mutsvangwa said.
Mutsvangwa also stressed that the country, which has been under Western sanctions following its anti-white land reform in the early 2000s, will not be isolated, as some could have predicted.
"Those who had thought that Zimbabwe will remain a pariah state have been disappointed, it has changed completely, it is now a favorite destination," he outlined.
Zimbabwe has garnered significant attention for its expanding mining ventures in the search for the valuable resource known as the "new white gold" – lithium. This surge in interest has been particularly notable from China, given its prominent role in lithium battery manufacturing.
Experts predict Zimbabwe may supply 20% of the world's "new white gold" needs given the country's record-high number of exploratory projects.