An outrage: China’s $7b deal with the junta

As reported by the BBC and other news outlets today, Guinea (that is to say, CNDD) mine minister Mahmoud Thiam announced that he had made a deal with a Chinese company ready to invest more than $7 billion in infrastructure in all mining projects across Guinea. Guinea has the world’s largest reserves of bauxite — needed to make aluminum — and also has considerable gold, diamond and iron deposits.

We knew that China – with the investments it had already made in Guinea, as it is doing across Africa – could be a stumbling block in unified international action against the junta, especially if a peace keeping or arms embargo resolution comes down to the UN Security Council. But today’s deal is simply an outrage – as rude an affront to human rights, justice, and human decency as one could imagine. Aside from the troubling symbolic nature of China recognizing the junta as a legitimate business partner, a great deal more troubling is how these funds will be used – and one can pretty much guarantee that very little of it will ever reach the Guinean people. Instead, they are much more likely to be destined for villas and brand new SUVs in the best case, arms and mercenaries in the worst case.

While we recognize that it will be very difficult for governments in America and France to pressure the Chinese out of this deal – especially if by a mostly private company – we urge the international community to condemn it and call for no further dealings in Guinea until there is a legitimate, civil government in Guinea with which to do business.

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