IMF says no new cash until Zimbabwe pays debts

HARARE, Sept 24 (AFP): The International Monetary Fund has scotched suggestions that cash-strapped Zimbabwe could get fresh financial aid, saying it must first service old debts.
Domenico Fanizza, a senior official from the IMF's Africa department, said the Washington-based lender "by its law" could not give more support until Robert Mugabe's government makes up missed repayments.
"That's the real problem, we need to solve that problem," he said in Harare on Tuesday.
The country is saddled with debts of over $10 billion (7.8 billion euros), according to an AFP tally of finance ministry figures, and has stuttered in making repayments.
According to Fanizza, the country is currently $142 million in arrears. "This is not much money... but it's a problem," he told journalists and business leaders.
Facing yet another economic crisis, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has sought to have Zimbabwe's debt cancelled.