Dubai: Guinea Alumina Corporation SA (GAC), a mining development company wholly owned by Emirates Global Aluminum PJSC (EGA), signed four agreements in Paris, France, with the Government of the Republic of Guinea (GoG) — the latter represented by the Ministry of Mines and Geology and the National Agency for Development of Mining Infrastructures (ANAIM).
Also present and party to the agreements were Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee (CBG) and Compagnie de Bauxite et Alumina de Dian-Dian (COBAD).
The four agreements comprised: a Multi-User Operations Agreement covering the access conditions and joint investment in the railway; A Port Operations Agreement covering the modalities of operation and investment in the Port of Kamsar; An Infrastructures Agreement covering GAC’s access rights to the existing infrastructure; and a port agreement (now referred to as the Bulk Materials Dock Agreement), covering the modalities of development of GAC’s Bauxite and Alumina Terminal.
The signed agreements relate to the access granted to GAC to the port and rail infrastructure owned by the GoG through ANAIM in the region of Boke and put under concession to CBG; and to the development of “additional infrastructure” in the region of Boke, to support the expansion of GAC’s mining activities. The work will be carried out by the parties to the respective agreements.
Speaking at the contract signing, Kerfalla Yansane, Minister of State for Mines and Geology of the Republic of Guinea, said: “The Government of the Republic of Guinea is pleased to see that, despite the difficulties of this initiative — a first in Africa, and involving multiple stakeholders — we have been able to overcome all the challenges to achieve a result that augurs [well for] future success. Now that this crucial step is taken, I invite all stakeholders to get down to business and work towards the realisation of their projects.”
Stronger industry position
Masoud Talib Al Ali, executive vice-president of Supply, who represented EGA at the contract signing, commented, “This is an important achievement, enabling EGA to secure key upstream capacity to improve security of supply and strengthen our position in the aluminium industry. These agreements further underpin our commitments with our key partners, CBG and the Government of Guinea, to the development of key Guinean and UAE-based industrial complexes.”
Abdullah J M Kalban, managing director and chief executive officer of EGA, said: “We welcome the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Guinea and all parties who have contributed to achieving this milestone in the development of our project in Guinea. We strongly hope that the spirit of cooperation that allowed us to reach this goal will [last], so that GAC can overcome any other challenges we may face in the months and years ahead — ultimately making our common dream a tangible reality.”
