几内亚:采矿业和农业潜力巨大
文|阿玛多·肯德萨·狄阿罗(Amadou Kendessa Diallo) 几内亚《自由报》记者 翻译|王晓波
图片提供|阿玛多·肯德萨·狄阿罗(Amadou Kendessa Diallo)
导 读
几内亚的经济主要依靠采矿业,不过它也有巨大的农业潜力尚未得到开发。
● 几内亚地质和土壤适宜农业发展
●中国与几内亚关系呈现良好态势
●中国在几内亚的主要项目
几内亚共和国位于非洲西海岸,面积245857平方公里。它有300多平方公里的沿海区域,因此拥有丰富的渔业资源。2014年,政府在联合国开发计划署(UNDP)的支持下进行了全面的人居和人口调查,结果显示,几内亚的人口约1200万。
几内亚还因其境内的宁巴山自然保护区而闻名于世,它位于东南部的恩兹尔科尔地区。这个保护区被浓密的森林所覆盖,里面有种类丰富的动、植物,包括黑猩猩和胎生蟾蜍。
2017年几内亚的国内生产总值(GDP)为104.9亿美元,增长率在5%到6%之间。几内亚的经济主要依靠采矿业,不过它也有巨大的农业潜力尚未得到开发。
几内亚地质和土壤适宜农业发展
如果不是唯一,那几内亚也属于其所处地区为数不多的几个拥有丰富自然资源的国家之一。因此,它又有“地质奇迹”之称。几内亚的西海岸几乎拥有所有的矿产资源:铁、钻石、铝土矿、铀、石灰石、黄金和海上石油。这使得几内亚成为了未来颇具投资吸引力的国家。
现在,几内亚在吸引投资方面采取了重要的改革措施。通过改革,相较于以往,投资者所递交文件的审批时间大大缩短。以前投资文件的受理过程需要好几个月的时间,而现在只需几天,甚至几个小时即可办理完成。
为了让改革切实可行,政府设立了私人投资促进机构(APIP)这一平台,为本地和外国投资者们提供了更加便利的条件。这一平台还能帮助投资者发现在几内亚的投资机遇。
私人投资促进机构使几内亚的营商环境变得对投资者更加有利,因为它鼓励创新和追求真实获利。几内亚在经济发展各领域都有着丰富的经验,并且能够为投资者在激烈的市场竞争中提供所需的基础设施、人才和监管支持。
几内亚因其自然资源的多样性而闻名,因此极具投资潜力,在基础设施、能源、农业和采矿业等领域都吸引了大量的投资者。几内亚拥有铝土矿(根据世界银行提供的数据,几内亚是世界上仅次于澳大利亚和中国的第三大铝土矿出口国)、黄金、钻石、铁、铀、石灰石和水泥等。
几内亚的铝土矿和铁矿石储量都位居世界第一。
除矿产资源外,还必须强调的是,几内亚从东到西、从南到北,都具有巨大的农业发展潜力。如果着手落实,它将成为经济增长的新引擎。世界银行就认为,几内亚应当将农业列为其优先发展的一个领域。根据农业部门的统计,几内亚全国可耕地面积有600万公顷,可以生产的农产品包括棕榈油、土豆、菠萝、椰子、香蕉、大米、桔子、芒果、山药、棉花、腰果、生菜、木薯、谷子和高粱。
根据世界银行2019年公布的一份报告显示,2018年几内亚被认为是非洲法语区三个改革最成功的国家之一。
⬆位于几内亚科纳克里50公里外科巴县的农田
中国与几内亚关系呈现良好态势
自1959年中国加入联合国以来,几内亚就与中国保持着长期友好的关系。两国元首也保持着良好的关系。2017年,在阿尔法·孔戴总统连任两年后,几内亚与中国签署了一项价值200亿美元的针对矿产资源的巨额贷款协议,即未来20年里中国每年向几内亚提供10亿美元的贷款。这不仅充分证明了两国间的友好合作,也昭示了其更加美好的未来。
2014年,埃博拉疫情在几内亚爆发,并且蔓延到了其他西非国家,特别是利比里亚和塞拉利昂,当时中国给予了几内亚大力帮助。
此外,中国还为几内亚建造了许多公共建筑,包括几内亚人民宫,也就是国民议会的所在地;赛古杜尔宫,它是总统府和几内亚广播电视总局的所在地。
位于首都科纳克里中心的医院是中国和几内亚友谊的最新见证。这座现代化建筑还配备了最先进的医疗设施。这家豪华医院于2012年落成,耗资1000万美元,全部由中国出资。
在学术培训方面,中国每年向几内亚公务员、研究人员和学生提供培训机会和奖学金;此外,每半年、每月和每年还会帮助几内亚在农村兴建学校并培训教师。
相比之下,基佩钻石广场的落成和于2015年启动的卡莱塔水电站大坝的建设更是将中国的援助推向了高潮。
中国在几内亚的主要项目
在几内亚,中国公司在能源、采矿、基础设施和农业领域都很活跃。他们正在建设中的重大项目包括:苏阿皮蒂水电站大坝(由中国水电对外公司承建)、中国水电建设集团建设的由塞内加尔河流域开发组织出资的库库坦巴大坝战略项目和中国路桥负责施工的科雅-达博拉公路项目。
除了这些大型项目,中方参与的项目还有对索福尼亚大学、拉布大学、坎坎大学和恩泽雷科大学的现代化改造。
不过,必须指出的是,尽管几内亚有着很大的发展潜力,但也仍面临着巨大的挑战。几内亚的道路和能源基础设施严重不足,而它们的缺失就意味着当地矿产资源的生产、勘探、运输和储备将会是一大问题。
但这也是为什么投资者们会对几内亚这个在采矿业和农业方面拥有极大潜力的国家感兴趣的原因,因为这些新兴领域都蕴藏着各种机遇。
英文版
Guinea: country of mining and agricultural potential
By Amadou Kendessa Diallo Journalist of HOROYA, Guinée
The Republic of Guinea with an area of 245,857 square kilometers is located on the west coast of Africa. It has a coastal area of more than 300 sq km with huge fishery resources because of its geographical position. In 2014, its population was about 12 million, according to the general census of Habitat and Population carried out by the government with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Guinea is also a well-known country for the Mont Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, located in the southeast of the country, in the N’Zérékoré region. This nature reserve protects a wooden mountain range containing local plants pieces and animals, including chimpanzees and viviparous toads.
Its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 10.49 billion USD in 2017 and growth is between 5 and 6%. Its economy is highly dependent on the mining sector while the country has enormous agricultural potential not yet exploited.
Guinea, a geological and agricultural land
Guinea is one of the few countries in the sub-region, if not the only one that nature has endowed with so many natural resources. Hence its nicknamed the “geological land”. There are almost all kinds of mineral resources: iron, diamond, bauxite, uranium, limestone, gold, and offshore oil in its west coast. All these made Guinea an attractive and future country for investments.
Currently, the country has adopted important reforms in the context of investments. With these reforms, it is easier for an investor to see his/her file processed in a short period of time unlike in previous years. Before then the processing of investment files could take months but with the new reforms, it is a matter of days or hours.
To make these reforms operational, a platform has been set up by the Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment (APIP) to facilitate the work of local and foreign investors. This platform allows investors to see the Guinean opportunities they can invest in.
The Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment also spells out that Guinea’s favorable business climate is based on the commitment to fostering innovation and pursuing responsible growth. With solid experience in various aspects of economic performance, Guinea provides investors with the infrastructure, talent and regulatory support needed to grow their businesses in a competitive world.
Known for the richness and variety of its natural resources, Guinea offers potential for investment and attracts many investors in terms of infrastructure, energy, agriculture and mining among others. The country has bauxite (third exporter behind Australia and China according to the World Bank), gold, diamond, iron, uranium, limestone, cement …
Guinea is the largest reserve of Bauxite and the richest iron ore in the world.
Aside from these mineral resources, it must also be emphasized that Guinea, from the East to West, South to North of the country, has enormous agricultural potential which if implemented, could be a real engine for economic growth. the World Bank suggest that the country should make agriculture one of its priorities. It has 6 million arable land area, according to agricultural statistics and the country’s produce include palm oil, potato, pineapple, coconut, banana, rice, orange, mango, yam, cotton, cashew nut, lettuce, fonio, cassava, millet, sorghum.
Guinea was declared in 2018, one of the three most reforming countries in French-speaking Africa, according to a World Bank report published in 2019.
Chinese and Guinean relations are in good shape
Guinea and China have long-standing relations since 1959, the year of Chinese accession to the United Nations. The Chinese and Guinean presidents also have good rapport. In 2017, two years after the re-election of President Alpha Condé, Guinea and China signed a mega loan agreement worth $20 billion against mining resources. That’s $1 billion a year for 20 years. This explains the health of the cooperation between the two states and also announces a better future in this cooperation.
China supported Guinea during the Ebola outbreak in the country in 2014, spread to other West African countries, particularly Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Apart from this aid, China has built many public buildings for Guinea. These include the People’s Palace; which also the seat of the National Assembly, the Sékhoutoureya palace which houses the presidency and the headquarters of Guinean radio and television.
The latest building built under the Chinese and Guinean friendship is the hospital located at the heart of the capital Conakry. The modern 400 metre facility is equipped the state-of-the-earth equipment.
The luxurious hospital fully funded by China to the tune of ten million US dollars, was inaugurated in 2012.
⬆Gold mine in Guinea(CFP)
In terms of academic training, China offers scholarships every year to Guinean civil servants, researchers and students, not to mention the biannual, monthly or annual training courses and the construction of rural schools.
All of these culminated in the construction of the Plaza Diamant city in Kipé and the Kaleta hydroelectric dam, launched in 2015.
Major Chinese projects in Guinea
In Guinea, Chinese companies are active in energy, mining, infrastructure and agribusiness. Major ongoing projects include the Souapiti hydroelectric dam (with China Water International Electric), China Road and Bridge’s construction of the Coyah-Dabola road Corporation (CRBC) and China Power ongoing constructing the Koukoutamba Dam electric funded by the Organization of the Development of Senegal River.
To these various projects, we must add those relating to the modernization of the universities of Sonfonia, Labe, Kankan, and N’Zerekore.
It can be said that, despite the potentialities available to the country, there are still enormous challenges ahead. The country is sorely lacking in road and energy infrastructure. Without these two, the production, exploration of mineral resources, transportation and the preservation of local production will always be a big problem.
This is why it would be important for investors to be interested in these embryonic sectors in a country with great mining potential, economic and agricultural potential.
文 | 阿玛多·肯德萨·狄阿罗(Amadou Kendessa Diallo) 几内亚《自由报》记者
编辑 | 张梅 杨海霞
翻译 | 王晓波
设计 | 李玉丹