Guinea and Indonesia mulling bauxite mining ties

Guinea and Indonesia, the two mineral-rich countries of Africa and Asia, could be eyeing possible bauxite tie-ups. According to a recent media report, delegates from the both the countries met last week to discuss a series of topics among which cooperation in bauxite mining sector remained a key  possibility area.

The parties agreed on establishing an Intergovernment Forum Dialogue by the end of the current calendar year through which possibilities of fostering closer ties in bauxite production between the two countries could be discussed.

The Forum would exchange information on bauxite mining technologies, bauxite production and export policies, environmentally sustainable mining practices, investment cooperation, infrastructure development, and trade activities for the betterment of both the economies, the report said.

Guinea’s Minister of State for Investment and Public Private Partnership Ibrahima Kassory Fofana who participated in the meeting is also said to have shown interest in the regulatory regime of Indonesia’s bauxite mining sector.

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The bauxite sectors in both Guinea and Indonesia are going through a transition phase. While Guinean bauxite is attracting more investors’ eyeballs than in the past ever, Indonesia is trying to utilise its home-mined bauxite in developing a domestic refining industry, though with mixed results.

Commenting on the meeting’s outcome, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for the Ministry of Marine Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said, “It is time for Asia Africa’s rich mineral countries to join, increase the added value in the country through the smelter development as has been done by Indonesia through a policy decided by President Joko Widodo.”