Page 47 - pd296-August21-mag-web

Sama Lukonde – to form a new govern-
ment free of Kabila’s interference.
Ferguson said there was already evi-
dence the new administration was un-
blocking much of the regulatory process.
“Felix Tshisekedi appears likely to be
re-elected, so there is a sense of stability
for the next two years of this term and
the next four-year term after that, which
gives us great comfort,” he said.
“There is a new Minister for Industry.
He is pushing things along and knows
the project well,” he said. “We believe
the mining licence and the collabora-
tion agreement will be ratified in the next
AVZ managing director Nigel Ferguson months and the SEZ committee will also
meet with our representatives in South
The company has also completed a DRC has witnessed considerable po- Africa this month.
FEED study for the 4.5 mtpa operation, litical change in the last three years with “Given it’s a French-based legal sys-
meaning the only major hurdles to com- longstanding President Joseph Kabila tem there are still a lot of moving parts,
plete ahead of the DFS are around per- replaced by Felix Tshisekedi in January but we are satisfying everything.”
mitting. 2019, the first peaceful transition of pow- The change in attitude is sector-wide
Ferguson admitted mild frustration er since the country gained independ- but as a lithium-tin project, Manono is re-
with delays in the approval of both mining ence in 1960. ceiving particular interest from the new
licence and collaboration agreements, Despite Tshisekedi’s election victory, Government.
but said the company was comfortable Kabila’s influence remained strong with “The period for issuing the mining li-
with the support it was receiving from supporters dominating the parliament cence has run over but we are confident
government. and Tshisekedi’s first cabinet. because there is political imperative to
“The timeline has slipped slightly but However, in April the President for- get a battery minerals industry up and
obviously COVID and the swearing in of mally ended his coalition with his prede- running,” Ferguson said.
the new Government haven’t helped in cessor, allowing Prime Minister – former “We noted the Minister of Industry
that regard,” he said. state mining company boss Jean-Michel pulled together a few forums of inves-

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