Zimbabwe issues first dollar currency since 2009

Zimbabwe has issued its own currency for the first time since 2009 to try to ease biting shortages of the US dollar.

Queues formed outside banks in Zimbabwe as people hoped to get hold of the country’s first Zimbabwean dollar notes to be issued since 2009.

The currency was scrapped a decade ago because of hyperinflation when prices were almost doubling every day.

Zimbabwe’s central bank hopes the new notes will ease a severe cash shortage as the country suffers a deepening economic crisis.

The bank has played down fears that the move will fuel further inflation.

The latest data published by the International Monetary Foundation puts the current inflation rate at 300%.