China offers to Overhaul Guinea's Infrastructure
29 March 2012
allAfrica.com - March 29, 2012
Officials from the China Development Bank (CDB) are offering to finance a substantial part of the Conakry government's US$8.6 billion overhaul of mining and industrial infratructure, according to a source close to negotiations.
Chinese mining companies are looking at Guinea's world-class reserves of iron ore and bauxite, and many of the proposed road, rail and electric power projects would be financed through countertrade for mineral exports. Since President Alpha Condé came to power in November 2010, his government has made little progress in unscrambling the many opaque mining and infrastructure contracts set up by successive military governments. There are fears that more countertrade agreements with Beijing could further complicate Conakry's obligations...