Paul Biya entrusts the management of Fer de Mbalam to Sonamines

LEBLEDPARLE.COM, FRANÇOIS GAËL MBALA

MARCH 1, 2022

Paul Biya entrusts the management of the Mbalam iron mining project file to the National Mining Company (Sonamines).In addition to the mining project, Sonamines, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh indicates to the Minmidt that,"as part of the development of the Mbalam iron project", the Presidency of the Republic entrusts Sonamines with"the implementation of the necessary procedures for the constitution of the consortium possibly with the Chinese companies Yiantian Port, China Railways Corporation Co (CRCC), Metallurgical Construction Corporation (MCC), China Baowu Steel Group, Shanghai Tsingshan Mineral CO Ltd, and Nabeba's partner, for the joint development of the iron project of Mbalam/Nabeba”,one can read.

The company headed by Serge Hervé Boyogueno will also be responsible for“conducting negotiations with the Congolese party for the joint exploitation of iron from Mbalam/Nabeba”.

We remember that the mining component of the Mbalam iron project is entrusted to Sonamines while a diatribe between this company and its technical supervision still shakes the mining landerneau about the exploitation of bauxite from the Ngaoundal deposits and Makan in the Adamaoua region.

Indeed, on Friday February 18, 2022, Sonamines informs the public of the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) relating thereto with China Railways No. 5 Engineering Group Co, Ltd (CREC 5).

An act that the Minmidt canceled on February 21, 2022. **riel Dodo Ndoké pleaded for an MoU concluded in violation of the provisions of the Prime Minister's circular of May 2, 2013 relating to the signing of memorandums of understanding by the Cameroonian government.He is suspected of having incestuous relations with Canyon Resources, whose three research permits on these sites expired in July 2021.

According to the agreements, and the mining law in Cameroon, they could no longer be renewed.However, the Australian company had taken care to engage in talks with the Minmidt for a new program of activities whose validation is still awaited despite the “exclusivity” that the company enjoys over the coveted mining areas.

As a reminder, on November 29, 2012, the Cameroonian State represented by the then Minmidt, Emmanuel Bondé, and, CEO of Sundance Resources and PCA of Cam Iron, Giulio Casello, signed the mining agreement for a total cost of 8, 7 billion dollars, or about 5,065 billion FCFA.All the commitments made by the Australian side seem not to have been respected.

https://www.lebledparle.com/fr/economie/1126243-paul-biya-confie-la-gestion-du-fer-de-mbalam-a-la-sonamines