Mali signs agreement with Russia to build gold refinery
22/11/2023 14:55
By Tiemoko Diallo
BAMAKO, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Mali's military government
said it has signed an agreement with Russia to build a gold
refinery in the capital Bamako, one of a slew of deals between
the two countries as Russia seeks to extend its regional
influence.
The accord, a non-binding memorandum of understanding,
involves building a 200-tonnes-per-year refinery, minister
Alousséni Sanou said in an interview on state television
broadcast late on Tuesday.
The memorandum is valid for four years, he said, without
giving a timeline for construction. If built, it would be the
West African country's largest gold refinery.
"This will allow us not only to control all gold production
but also to be able to correctly apply all taxes and duties,"
Sanou said.
The deal is the latest sign of Russia's deepening interests
in Mali, one of Africa's largest gold producers, just as Western
influence there wanes.
Russia's state nuclear energy company Rosatom signed an deal
with Mali in October to explore for minerals and produce nuclear
energy. Sanou said he had also signed a deal with a Russian firm
to build a 200- to 300-megawatt solar power plant by mid-2025.
Mali's military, which took power in a 2021 coup, last year
kicked out troops from former colonial power France, who were
fighting Islamist militants, and teamed up with the Russian
military contractor Wagner Group, which has operations across
Africa, including lucrative mining deals.
Wagner has been accused of human rights abuses in Mali's
fight against Islamists linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Industrial gold production in Mali totalled 66.2 tonnes last
year, mostly from mines owned by Barrick Gold ABX.TO , B2Gold
BTO.TO , Resolute Mining RSG.AX , Allied Gold AAUC.TO and
Endeavour Mining EDV.TO .
(Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; writing by Hereward Holland;
editing by Edward McAllister and Mark Heinrich)
((hereward.holland@thomsonreuters.com; +254 20 499 1232;
Reuters Messaging:
hereward.holland.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))