Zimbabwe new PM to be sworn in today

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday appointed Tendai Biti to be finance minister in a unity government and said he would focus on creating economic stability and attracting foreign investment.

Biti, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party's secretary-general, will be charged with rebuilding Zimbabwe's ruined economy and winning the confidence of Western donors.

"This (finance) ministry's mandate is to create a stable economic environment for all Zimbabweans ... and to establish Zimbabwe as a strong investment center," Tsvangirai told a news conference shortly after appointing Biti as finance minister.