Guinea and Liberia have signed an implementation agreement that will see iron ore exports from certain Guinean mines transported via Liberia.

As reported by Liberia’s Executive Mansion site, the agreement allows Guinean mining companies in remote parts of the county to use Liberia’s railroad corridors to export iron ore resources through the major Liberian port of Buchanan, via Nimba county in the country’s north-east. Reuters reports that the reasoning behind the deal is to improve the profitability of mining sites located near the Guinea-Liberia border, thereby attracting more investment interest.

The Guinean government is still considering the viability of a 650 km railway, particularly in light of the massive Simandou project, which holds an estimated 2 billion tons of high-grade iron ore. The project’s blocks 1 and 2 are currently out for international tender.

29 October 2019
Image: Alamy