@Finn .... "
looks very promising for a end to the current impasse on election time frames"
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022...approves-five-year-democratic-transition-plan"
The army-dominated legislature also decided that the country’s interim president cannot stand for a future democratic election, as part of the same bill."
"
On Monday, 120 members of Mali’s 121-seat interim parliament, called the National Transitional Council, voted to allow the military government to govern for up to five years."
That smacks to me of Goita re-enforcing his position on staying for longer...
Remember how the EU envoy mentioned soothing words of hope? That was followed the next day by the EU increasing sanctions on junta members. I take it that meeting went poorly..
I also don't expect the US or EU to support ECOWAS removing sanctions, while the Russian mercenaries are in the country (and costing the govt, which has reneged on bond payments, $US10m/mth!!), especially in the current anti Russian environment!!
Meanwhile the lithium boom 2 is probably over, despite the lithium prices still rising. MIN are in the process of starting up Wodgina train 1 with first concentrate available in April. (then 2 and 3 if prices allow... MIN half yearly). Greenbushes still ramping up to full production (IGO half yearly).
Given PLS have not ramped up production a lot and will also increase supply when the Altura plant is running fully, there is a large increase in spodumene concentrate entering the market this year. Carbonate price might stay high for longer as conversion facilities are still not adequate, but spodumene prices will IMHO come under pressure this year. The market seems to be anticipating increasing spodumene supplies...
IMHO LLL is going to be greatly undervalued while the overall industry comes under pressure, even though we are starting from a very low base. The low base has everything to do with the military leaders in Mali.
