Doumbouya seeks to combine Rio Tinto and Winning rail plans for Simandou

摘要

Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is trying to assert its interests in the Simandou iron project over those of Winning Consortium, which is reputedly close to the president ousted in a coup in September, Alpha Conde. A meeting held at the Sekhoutoureya presidential palace in Conakry on 7 December was of strategic importance for the progress of the Simandou iron ore project, the development of which is considered key to Guinea's economic growth. President Mamady Doumbouya took advantage of Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm's presence in the country - his first trip there since the 5 September coup - to organise a meeting with the management of Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS). The two companies are each developing part of the Simandou deposit in south-east Guinea.