“Instability and insecurity threaten the international rules-based order,and our shared peace and prosperity,” he said. “We want to help African governments deliver responsible,accountable and effective mining governance.”
The Sydney Morning Herald andThe Age revealed last week that Australian miner Cassiuswas preparing to launch a $395 million action against the Ghanaian government in the London Court of International Arbitration,alleging it had allowed Chinese miner Shaanxi to steal millions of dollars worth of gold from its mining concession.Dozens of local miners have been killed inside the Shaanxi mine in northern Ghana,which has also been beset by claims of corruption and allegations of murder. Shaanxi has denied the allegations.
Watts said Australian mining companies have invested an estimated $40 billion across the African continent and “earned a reputation for integrity and corporate responsibility,mining safety,ensuring environmental sustainability and protection,and for developing their workforce”.
He said he could not comment directly onThe Sydney Morning HeraldandThe Age’sseries Blood Gold because it was before the courts,but senior political leaders in Ghana have been outraged by the revelations.
Ghana’s ambassador to Burkina Faso,Boniface Gambila Adagbila,who supported the arrival of Shaanxi in northern Ghana a decade ago,said he was ashamed of his own government’s actions.
“This was a kind of business hijack in favour of foreign Chinese[business] against a local citizen,” he said.