africa: boom time iron ore, page-23

just a few of my thoughts on sovereign risk , the 33% etc.
Wayne's day out on Noosa beach was very risky indeed , now a girl with a 'speech' issue is in the lodge and the little creep is creeping around the world being diplomatic. Can Soros,Blair,Conde and the EITI crew do a better job than Swan's "mining the tax" reform ?
I think only a few weeks ago Soros or Blair made a speech about compulsory stakes in miners for developing countries so i fully suspect them not President Conde of this initiative.
He'll ( and probably others ) will need their help to deal with facing the wrath of China Mining Inc !! 33% freebies is definately not feng shui !!
Whitey imperalists are much more "progressive".
Sierra Leone with Guinea and Liberia are in the Mano River Union and President Koroma from begining of his rule (3yrs) has developed close co-operations with both countries esp. as Guinea still has troops on border ( and over it into SL where small area occupied in SE corner and claimed by Guinea - yes you guessed it , diamonds,gold & minerals found there ).
As for CFE in SL , i don't imagine anything drastic from SL govt that is until Marampa and esp. Tonkolili gets started and with infrastructure up and running but after that expect things to change. Under attack from the SLPP opposition Minister Alpha Kanu has alreaded stated a few months ago that "all mining leases to be reviewed". The London mining Marampa tax deal the biggest (political) problem. But i'm sure with any new negotiations the mining companies will get treated better than the contempt dished out by Swan and Rudd to the aussie miners here.
Here's a few info bits as well.

George Soros statement on Sierra Leone - 12 Nov 2009

http://www.investmentinternational.com/news/business/george-soros-statement-on-sierra-leone-3128.html

see my post on CFE thread "african news" Oct 3, 2010 - President Koroma meets Soros in New York.
or full article at
http://www.cocorioko.net/?p=2993

this blog has about 5 articles on George Soros and Sierra Leone.
http://romanticpoet.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/george-soros-and-sierra-leone/


The three countries of the Mano River Basin have close historical and ethnic ties. The Mano River Union, comprising the West African States of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone,was established in 1973 as a customs and economic union between the member states to promote regional economical integration. The Mano River Agreement of 1973 gives evidence that the three States can co-operate to revitalise and consolidate this common market and take measures to prevent conflict in the region. However, these efforts have been frustrated by the
political instability and violent armed conflicts that have beset the region in the past decade, firstly in Liberia, followed by Sierra Leone.

In 2002 Tony Blair announces the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

EITI in Sierra Leone - http://eiti.org/SierraLeone