Misanet / The Standard, 1 July - The expired Zimbabwean-Libyan oil deal, providing Zimbabwe with 70 percent of its oil imports, has not been revived. Since the deal terminated, due to Zimbabwe's failure to pay for Libyan imports, the country has experienced a chronical oil shortage.

President Robert Mugabe has ended a visit to Libya without any clear indication that he has won a deal to resume crucial Libyan fuel supplies.

A statement released after three rounds of talks between President Mugabe and the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, said they were satisfied with the progress of co-operation - but there was no specific mention of any new oil deal.

Libya's state news agency Jana said the two leaders discussed African issues and "ways of strengthening peace and stability in Africa".

The only details available from the statement was that "experts from the two governments, including Zimbabwe Energy and Power Development Minister Amos Midzi, met to review the bilateral co-operation path and the ways to reinforce that co-operation in oil and investment in various economic fields".

Oil industry sources however said Mugabe, who is now on a visit to Egypt, was extending his begging bowl to Cairo after his apparent failure to secure Libyan oil.

There have been fuel shortages in Zimbabwe since November when the president's previous deal with Libya broke down.

The BBC's Southern African correspondent Barnaby Phillips says neither government likes to give details of the previous deals they have struck, but it is widely believed that the Libyans have been offered land, beef and agricultural commodities in return for fuel.

But as Zimbabwe's agricultural production declines, President Mugabe has found it difficult to keep his side of the deal, and the Libyans have been reluctant to carry on supplying fuel.

By staff writer of 'The Standard'

© Misanet / The Standard

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