Vol 4 (AAC) No 9 | ZIMBABWECHINA Polish to a shine 13th July 2011 Beijing frets over the image of Chinese companies as the Zimbabwean opposition rails against more loans and Chinese diamond miners Unionists and civil society members point to the close ties between the ruling parties of China and Zimbabwe to explain the lack of oversight of Chinese companies operating in the ...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 9 | GHANACHINA Squatters, pipes and rails 13th July 2011 After only two years in office, the National Democratic Congress government has increased Ghana’s total debt from US$8.1 billion at the end of 2008 to $13.4 bn. in May 2011. That g...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 9 | CONGO-KINSHASACHINA Shifting foundation 13th July 2011 The terms of the mines-for-infrastructure contract are flexible, which is good because they’re up for negotiation again The Congolese authorities have signalled yet another revision to the historic US$6 billion mines-for-infrastructure deal between the government and a Chinese consortium. China Rail...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 9 | SIERRA LEONECHINA Not so fast, Frank 13th July 2011 Businessman Vasile Frank Timis, the Chairman of African Minerals Limited (AML), has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese partners to develop a project that has alread...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 8 | GABONCHINA Bélinga bonus, uncertainty for CMEC 9th June 2011 The Gabonese government is looking for a way out of its contract with a Chinese company to mine iron ore at Bélinga New technical studies have found that the Bélinga iron ore mine in northeastern Gabon contains almost four times the original estimated resources and the Libreville government is a...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 8 | SOUTH AFRICACHINABRIEFING Aurora’s gold mine collapses 9th June 2011 On 2 June, Congress of South African Trade Unions General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi called on the government to launch an investigation into Aurora Empowerment Systems and the Pamo...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 8 | GUINEACHINABRIEFING Doors open, doors close 9th June 2011 In early June, Guinea’s President Alpha Condé set the tone for more tense negotiations with mining investors when he declared that Chinese-style mines-for-infrastructure deals are ...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 7 | ANGOLACHINA China Sonangol still hungry 13th May 2011 China Sonangol and its subsidiaries continue to make Angolan acquisitions. In February, China Sonangol won three deep-water pre-salt oil (equity) concessions in Blocks 19, 20 and 3...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 7 | CHINAAFRICA Give without counting 13th May 2011 The Chinese government is slowly changing its aid reporting statistics so that its programmes can be compared to those of other donors It began with ‘China is a developing country’ and ended by shedding some – but not much – light on Beijing’s global aid programmes. In April, China’s State Council released the gov...
Vol 4 (AAC) No 7 | MADAGASCARCHINA Making room for friends 13th May 2011 London-listed Madagascar Oil’s battles with the Malagasy government are heating up. The two sides are now heading for international arbitration. The dispute arose when the Haute Au...