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popular member of Australia’s diplo- The security situation in Burkina Faso between the mining contingents operat-
A matic corps in West Africa is prepar- received global attention late last year ing in West Africa, Barnes and Askew
ing to depart the region in worrying times. after a convoy carrying Canadian mining spearheaded the Australian High Com-
Reflecting on his tenure as Australian company SEMAFO Inc employees from mission’s inaugural WAMS conference
High Commissioner to Ghana, Andrew Ouagadougou to the Bongou gold mine last year, with the 2020 iteration meant to
Barnes (pictured) said the security situa- (eastern Burkina Faso) was attacked by look at building on more practical meas-
tion in parts of West Africa, particularly in terrorists. ures that industry can cooperate on in
Burkina Faso, was a low point. Terrorists have exerted their influence, regards to security measures.
Since 2016, Barnes has been based in mainly jihadists spreading down from Feedback from the first WAMS event –
Accra with his remit in West Africa tak- southern Mali into northern Burkina Faso attended by some 200 people represent-
ing in not only Ghana, but Cote d’Ivoire, and now into the latter’s south-east, for ing 80 companies – indicated the broad
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal, the past two years forcing an active re- strategic information provided – some-
Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo. sponse from the Australian Government thing not always accessible – and the
“Certainly, the deteriorating situation given the wealth of interests of Austral- political underpinning of security in vari-
in Burkina has been very disappointing ian companies in different parts of West ous countries was a hit with conference
and extremely regrettable and damag- Africa. participants.
ing for Burkina Faso, it’s people and the Initiatives such as the Australian Min- “We really tried to provide the strategic
Government there,” Barnes told Paydirt ing Network (AMN) WhatsApp group information needed to make the big in-
recently. were created by deputy high commis- vestment decisions,” Askew said.
“There was an intended coup in Burki- sioner, Ghana, Glen Askew, to serve as “We need to provide a greater level of
na Faso at the end of 2015, but that was a platform of information sharing for peo- political content for investment decision-
resisted. A reasonable democratic gov- ple to be aware of events and situations makers. As I have stressed in the past,
ernment is in place and travelling in the unfolding. the conference is not just about the se-
right direction, by no means perfect, but The AMN WhatsApp group was cre- curity operators, it is about joining those
was making gains. So, this really dramat- ated with terrorist attacks in mind, how- security operators within companies with
ic and devastating series of attacks in the ever, at the time of print, it was proving an the senior management, so they are both
north and other ones around the country invaluable tool to inform members of the on the same page.”
have really destabilised confidence of evolving coronavirus pandemic and the While WAMS has been sidelined for
foreign investors. Above all, 500,000- limitations/restrictions in the West Africa 2020, security issues remain but the
800,000 internally displaced people from region, while keeping users up to date band of West African miners and ex-
the north of Burkina are now in Ouaga- with the Australian Government’s Smart- plorers now have an open line of com-
dougou and elsewhere. raveller advice. munications established that should be
“It is a huge challenge for the people It is due to the spread of COVID-19 utilised to maximum capacity.
to cope with, so that is probably the main that this year’s West Africa Mining Secu- “The deterioration in Burkina and Mali
disappointment and downside to what I rity Conference (WAMS), scheduled for has a silver lining in that since Andrew
have seen in the region in the last four early May in Accra, was cancelled. and I have been here there has been
years,” Barnes said. To deepen the level of engagement an increase in the sense of community

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