"One possible reason for that is that SDL has no right to mine...

"One possible reason for that is that SDL has no right to mine Nabeba as yet, and without Nabeba the project is not viable." ?Anyone?


When looking at timelines, it is clear that both countries Cameroon and ROC have reached agreement for the joint project Mbalam-Nabeba, meaning they came to an agreement to use Cameroun infrastucture (rail and port Kribi/Lolabe) for the evacuation of iron ore, and that would be of benefit in the lomg term for the development of the economy of the region, including Cam, ROC and Gabon (re. articles below)

IMO, it's not in the interest of the ROC to delay SDL project as other Iron projects at near border will get stucked and also this will seriously cause trade conflict within CEMAC and particularly with Cameroun.

Oct 2012
Agreement with the 2 countries Cam and ROC to put in place an Inter-State Committee to supervise the joint project Mbalam-Nabeba.

Nov 2012
SDL signed with Cameroon Government, the Mbalam Convention

Dec 2012
SDL received the Nabeba Mining Permit from the Congo government.

Considering the commitment of both countries Cam and ROC on the above, the advance of infrastructure project developed by Cameroun of the Deep-Sea-port Kribi, and the CEMAC strategy for the LT development of economy of the region, it's very strange to consider that the ROC will withdraw from Mbalam-Nabeba project and will setup on his own to build the 1500km rail route to pointe-Noire project...

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Oct 2012

http://www.biz.mboa.info/information-sectorielle/fr/infos/actualite/3212,cameroun-congo-une-exploitation-conjointe-du-fer.html

Cameroon - Congo : "cooperation solid as steel"
Written by La Nouvelle Expression
Thursday, October 4, 2012

The mission led in Congo by Louis Paul Motaze, Chairman of Steering Committee exploitation project Mbalam iron, has obtained from Congolese authorities, the exploitation synergy of two iron deposits pays.

Undeniably, the operating project concomitant iron deposits Mbalam South East Cameroon and northern Congo Nabeba Brazzaville happen.

From 24 to 27 September 2012 , Louis Paul Motaze, the Secretary General of the Prime Minister and Chairman of Steering Committee Operative Iron Mbalam project, has led in Brazzaville (Congo ), a delegation Ministerial including Emmanuel Bondje (Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development) , Robert Nkili (Minister of Transport) and S.E.M.H Komidor Njimoluh (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cameroon in Congo) , with mission to agree with the authorities of the neighboring country on the modalities for sharing ways to optimize the exploitation of these deposits.

The purpose of the mission, according to an official source, was to engage with the government Congolese, discussions to reach an agreement for the joint exploitation of Mbalam iron (for Cameroon) and Nabeda (for the Congo) , a wish that Louis Paul Motazé could have expressed to the Congolese Head of State, Denis Sassou Nguesso, when they met face to face at the Presidential Palace Brazzaville. A successful mission, according to the same source, "It appeared there is a convergence of views with the Congolese authorities on the development issues in regard to the integrated joint project Mbalam Nabeba - and the need to lay the groundwork for a mutually beneficial cooperation, notably through:

1) the pooling of their projects respective mining ( Mbalam - Nabeba );

2) the possibility for the Congo to evacuate, in a first phase , minerals in the northern part of the Congo via the railway Cameroon and the deepwater port of Kribi and,

3) the need for a bilateral agreement to supervise and conduct a legal framework for this activity.

On the occasion of the foundation of Brazzaville, the two countries agreed on the establishment of a Inter-State Committee , responsible to pursue negotiations for the signing of a bilateral agreement. Now called "Mbalam Nabeba project", the program adopted by Louis Paul Motaze and his guests, is based on the joint development and exploitation of iron deposits, Mbalam in the locality of Cameroon and Nabeba, in Congo, and in particular through:

- the development of two major mines in these two countries,
- the construction of a plant mineral processing and associated infrastructure,
- the construction of a railway line railway linking Nabeba in Congo to Lolabé / Kribi , through Mbalam,
- the construction of a ore terminal at the Port of Kribi for the removal of ore.


According to the cabinet secretary-general of the prime minister, the organization of this synergy in the infrastructure development fits in any consistency with the Programme
Regional Economy (PER) of CEMAC which envisioned that railway lines will be built in order to create economic centers, in order to facilitate operation and disposal of mining products including countries such as Gabon or the RCA, which should definitely take the benefit of using the rail of Cameroon for the avacuation of iron ore and the port Kribi deep water to evacuate their production. As for Cameroon , the project operating iron ore Mbalam is undoubtedly one of the most advanced projects.....

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Oct 2012

http://www.biz.mboa.info/information-sectorielle/fr/infos/actualite/3212,cameroun-congo-une-exploitation-conjointe-du-fer.html

Cameroon and Congo feel come together to jointly exploit the Iron ore deposits Mbalam in Cameroon and Nabeba in Congo . The decision is made in consultation between the two countries on 26 and 27 September 2012 last in Brazzaville . Thus we can talk now of the " Mbalam - Nabeba" project. The consultation is to see the active participation of the Steering Committee of the operational project Mbalam iron . The Cameroonian delegation which took part in this meeting was headed by the Secretary General of the Prime Minister's chair and said steering committee, Louis Paul Motazé .

Projections of the joint exploitation are numerous. These interests include the development of two major mines in Cameroon and Congo , the construction of a treatment plant minerals and related infrastructure , a railway line connecting Nabeba Kribi via Mbalam and an ore terminal at the port of Kribi deep water for the removal of ore. This initiative will not be profitable also in Congo and Cameroon, but in some other countries of the CEMAC zone has iron deposits . The infrastructure platform of Mbalam - Nabeba project will enable these countries to evacuate their resources.

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July 2013

http://cameroonmirror.com/cameroon-congo-to-clear-trade-transport-obstacles/

Cameroon- Congo to Clear Trade, Transport Obstacles

BAINKONG
The mixed commission session of experts from the two countries held in Yaounde yesterday July 23, 2013.

Cameroon and the Republic of Congo want to clear all obstacles to transport and trade between them and seek ways of federating their efforts and means to boost the sectors for the mutual benefits of the two countries. The first mixed commission session grouping experts in the domain held in Yaounde yesterday July 23 to jointly identify the obstacles, propose solutions and define what each party would do to reach the target.

Co-chairing the opening session with the Minister Delegate in Congo’s Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation and Maritime Trade, Parfait Aimé Coussoud-Mavoungou, Cameroon’s Transport Minister, Robert Nkili, said the two countries need an integrated approach to solve noticeable problems plaguing their trade and transport. Yesterday’s session, he said, was to seek ways of implementing the recommendations of an enlarged mixed commission which held in Yaounde on December 19-21, 2012. He disclosed that North Congo exports its wood through Cameroon and quite often there are misunderstandings. “We need to examine obstacles notably administrative problems and over speeding in course of transporting the wood in areas like Mouloundou,” the Minister stated, adding that Cameroon is presently constructing a road linking Sangmelima to Ouesso in Congo to regulate circulation in the trans-African road. “We have also signed air transport accords and Camair-Co can fly from Cameroon to Congo and all these will ease the mobility of persons and goods between the two countries,” Prof. Nkili said.

It emerged from the mixed commission session that Cameroon and Congo share a lot in common and could improve their trade and transport ties for the mutual benefits of their economies and populations. Minister Nkili cited the Mbalam-Nabeba Iron Ore Project through which a 510-km rail line from the Mbarga mine in Cameroon and a 70-km rail spur line connecting the Nabeba mine in Congo dedicated to the transport of iron ore to the Cameroon coast will be constructed. There is also an envisaged construction of a new deep water iron ore export terminal at Kribi to convey the 35 million tons of iron to be mined annually. “We don’t need to wait for problems to start reflecting on solving them,” he said.

A view corroborated by Parfait Aimé Coussoud-Mavoungou who said there is need for synergy of strategies and means to develop win-win trade and transport between the two countries. “The CEMAC sub-region has so many common instruments like the maritime trade code, road code and civil aviation code and we need to use them to enhance in-depth and fruitful integration. Reason why transport, trade and public works officials of the two countries are leaving nothing to chance to realise the dream,” the Minister Delegate said.

Cameroon Tribune

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http://www.equatorialresources.com.au/media/articles/Investor---ASX-Announcements/20131108-September-2013-Quarterly-Report--254/131031-EQX-ASX-Quarterly-Report-Sept2013-FINAL.pdf

EQX : SEPTEMBER 2013 QUARTERLY REPORT

Regional Developments
A number of significant developments have occurred during or subsequent to the quarter which continue to demonstrate the strong appetite by large global players for the development of this massive untapped iron region:

? Sundance has announced it had signed legally binding agreements to raise $40 million through the issue of convertible notes and options to Noble Resources International Pte Ltd (“Noble”) and a consortium of investors. Equatorial views the fund raising as an endorsement of Sundance’s new development strategy for its Mbalam-Nabeba project in ROC and Cameroon. Sundance has proposed three development scenarios: a Joint Venture Process to attract an investment at the project level with a large scale miner or steel mill; an Infrastructure Process whereby rail and port would be developed by a separate provider and Sundance providing financing only for the mine development; and an Early Start Option looking at the viability of a small scale DSO operation. Equatorial has an existing co-operation agreement with Sundance and is in discussions to update this agreement based on recent developments.

? The Government of Gabon is continuing to review the available geological information at the Belinga iron ore project that is contiguous with Equatorial’s Badondo project across the border in Gabon. Equatorial met with the Minister of Mines of Gabon, Minister Regis Immongault, in August 2013 to discuss potential synergies between Belinga and Badondo and opportunities for joint exploration and development. The Gabonese government have appointed SRK Consulting to conducting exploration and feasibility work at Belinga and expressed interest in the potential for combining this work program with Equatorial.


? Equatorial notes the recent amendment to the Arrangement Agreement between Afferro Mining (“Affero”) and London based International Mining Infrastructure Corporation Plc (“IMIC”). Afferro’s Nkout Iron Project is located in Cameroon relatively close to Sundance’s proposed rail corridor extending from the iron projects of Republic of Congo (Mbalam-Nabeba, Avima and Badondo). IMIC’s focus on infrastructure development is seen as a positive by Equatorial and the Company is continuing discussions with IMIC over potential cooperation and infrastructure sharing opportunities.

? Core Mining Limited have announced a transport solution for its Avima project with a two phased approach starting with a 3mtpa trucking operation by 2015. The second phase includes a new rail and port system (PRI) via Gabon which is intended to also serve regional iron ore projects such as Badondo and Belinga. Annual capacity of the new rail system will be approximately 100 mtpa.

Regional Development Study
Equatorial has engaged WorleyParsons to conduct a concept study to assess different development scenarios for Badondo and the Cameroon, Congo, Gabon iron ore craton. The projects located within this cluster are currently stranded from transport infrastructure and the investment of multiple billions of dollars in new rail and port is required to unlock this massive region of untapped, DSO grade iron ore.

The WorleyParsons concept study has been independently commissioned by Equatorial and is aimed to produce a shortlist of preferred infrastructure development scenarios that would lead to the optimum value creation path for any potential infrastructure financier seeking to unlock the region’s iron ore. A key output from the concept study will be high level estimates of the capital required for each rail and port development scenario, assuming corridors through Gabon and Cameroon to the coast as well as a review of blending opportunities and other resource sharing between the iron ore companies in the region.