"Strong cooperation between Sudan and France in the fields of energy and mining"
Khartoum, Jan. 19 (SUNA) -- Sudan And France Sign Gold Prospection Agreement
An agreement on gold prospection at Wadi-Alsingair area in the River Nile State was signed at
the Ministry of Energy and Mining premises here Wednesday between the Government of Sudan,
represented in the Ministry of Energy and Mining and the Government of the Republic of France,
represented in Cominor Company.
Energy and Mining Minister Dr. Awad Al-Jaz signed the agreement on behalf of Sudan, while the
Director General of the French Company signed for the company.
The signing ceremony was attended by the French Ambassador to Sudan, M. Micheal Ramboud.
Speaking following the signing of the agreement, Dr. Al-Jaz said it is third agreement in the
field of gold with the French government.
The minister pointed to the strong cooperation between Sudan and France in the fields of energy
and mining such as electricity, mining, oil and new and renewable energies, affirming the
Sudanese Government's keenness to boost its relations with France in the economic, political
and Cultural fields.
Dr. Al-Jaz reiterated that Sudan's doors are open before investment in the various fields.
Minister of International Cooperation and Investment Abdalla Hassan Ahmed, who attended the
signing ceremony, said the agreement would further boost the Sudanese-French relations.
The French Ambassador explained the strong relations linking his country with Sudan in the
political, economic and cultural fields specially during the recent years, referring to
exchange of visits by delegations from the two countries.
The Ambassador referred to efforts exerted for boosting the economic relations between the two
countries in the field of oil, minerals and electricity, expressing hope that Sudan would
witness more development in the various fields.
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"The French Minex has been engaged in gold mining in eastern Sudan since the 1980s.
The fields now produce five tonnes of gold annually."
Khartoum, January 19 (PANA) - Sudan and the French Cominer Wednesday concluded an agreement for
the company to prospect for gold in the extreme northern part of the country, the director of
General Corporation for Geological Research, Omar Mohammed Khair, said.
He added that Cominer's concession will stretch between the towns of Berber and Abu Hamad along
the Wadi el Singair Valley in the Nahr el Nil State, about 400 km north of Khartoum. He said
Cominer, which in 1996 obtained a concession area of 50,000 km, which extends from Halfa on the
Egyptian border down to Abu Hamad, "has reached encouraging results and is planned to commence
production next year."
Khair also said other companies which he did not name were negotiating agreements to prospect
for gold in areas neighbouring Wadi el Singair Valley, which had attracted the activity of
traditional miners in 1997 after gold was discovered in the area.
People rushed in their thousands to mine for the precious metal, encouraging brokers to start
makeshift shops on site to buy gold. But Sudanese authorities later closed the area after
noting that the activity of the miners was becoming a security problem.
The French Minex has been engaged in gold mining at Ariab fields in eastern Sudan since the
1980s. The fields now produce five tonnes of gold annually. |
