Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ANTANANARIVO503
2009-07-07 07:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Antananarivo
Cable title:
MADAGASCAR: JAPANESE TO RAISE MINING CONCERN AT G8
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000503
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/EPS AND AF/E - MBEYZEROV
USDOC FOR BECKY ERKUL - DESK OFFICER
TREASURY FOR FBOYE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2019
TAGS: ECON EMIN PREL MA
SUBJECT: MADAGASCAR: JAPANESE TO RAISE MINING CONCERN AT G8
REF: ANTANANARIVO 431
Classified By: P/E CHIEF DOVIE HOLLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000503
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/EPS AND AF/E - MBEYZEROV
USDOC FOR BECKY ERKUL - DESK OFFICER
TREASURY FOR FBOYE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2019
TAGS: ECON EMIN PREL MA
SUBJECT: MADAGASCAR: JAPANESE TO RAISE MINING CONCERN AT G8
REF: ANTANANARIVO 431
Classified By: P/E CHIEF DOVIE HOLLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D.
1. (C) Summary: The HAT is threatening to alter the terms of
investment for the USD 4.5 billion Ambatovy nickel mine. The
Japanese, Canadian, and Korean investors involved are gearing
up to defend their interests in arbitration if the HAT goes
forward with its threat. The Japanese Prime Minister intends
to raise this issue at the upcoming G8 summit to seek U.S.
support. End summary.
2. (C) The Malagasy transition government (HAT) is
threatening to alter the terms of investment for the USD 4.5
billion Ambatovy mining joint venture in Madagascar by
Canadian firms Sherritt (40%) and SNC Lavalin (5%),Japanese
firm Sumitomo (27.5%),and Korean firm Kores (27.5%). In a
meeting on June 29 with Ambatovy manager Patrick Hickey, HAT
President Rajoelina gave the company 15 days to respond to
the HAT's request to give partial ownership of the project to
the Malagasy government, increase Ambatovy's royalty
payments, or give certain members of the HAT "signing
bonuses". A fourth option of outright bribe payments was
implied. If Ambatovy does not agree to one of these
proposals, the HAT has threatened to issue a decree to
eliminate Ambatovy's ability to operate under the terms of
the large mining law, completely changing the terms of its
business.
3. (C) The threat does not only involve the four partners,
but also Ambatovy's multitude of international lenders,
including the African Development Bank, the European
Investment Bank, the Export Development Corporation of
Canada, ING, and Japanese and Korean export banks, to whom
Ambatovy owes over USD 2.5 billion. Ambatovy and its lenders
do not accept the HAT's renegotiation attempts and plan to
halt their investment (scheduled to begin production in early
2011) and bring the case to arbitration if the HAT goes
through with its threat, which they now view as serious.
4. (C) Sherritt manager Juanita Montalvo told Emboff July 6
that this effort to squeeze Ambatovy appears to be driven by
the French consulting firm Drake and Bart and by French
attorney Ann-Phillippe de la Giraudiere of the firm La
Giraudiere, Larroze, et Associes, working in conjunction with
French-Malagasy businessman Patrick Leloup. According to
Montalvo, de la Giraudiere had inaccurately argued to
Rajoelina that Ambatovy would be unable to resort to
arbitration if the large mining law no longer applied.
Montalvo said that, in general, cooperation with the HAT on
the working level had been positive, and believed that the
push for renegotiation was only coming from these few actors.
5. (C) Montalvo and Hickey explained that the Japanese Prime
Minister intended to raise the issue at the G8 summit in
Italy July 8-10. Montalvo said that the Japanese are seeking
to convince the Canadians to raise the issue and that they
may do so as well. She also noted that the Japanese are
requesting a meeting with HAT President Rajoelina and are
pressing the Canadians and Koreans to join them for that.
According to Corporate Council on Africa President Steve
Hayes, who recently met with Japan's Africa adviser K.
Komatsu in London, Sumitomo is facing risk of collapse due to
the debt it has accrued for this project if it pulls out or
if its terms of business are altered, and he confirmed that
the Japanese government planned to pressure the HAT to
rescind its ultimatum. As it is one of the "big six
families", Sumitomo's collapse would have a large impact on
the Japanese economy, Hayes explained. Japan would like
closer cooperation with the U.S. on its Africa strategy, to
counter China, and will pressure President Obama to intervene
of its behalf at the G8.
6. (C) Comment: Ambatovy has made the largest investment in
Madagascar's history and is the largest provider of foreign
currency on the island. The company projects that it will
pay USD 2.9 billion to the Government of Madagascar in
royalties, taxes, duties, and fees over the thirty year
life-span of the project. It currently employs around 10,000
ANTANANARI 00000503 002 OF 002
people. Its loss would deal a large blow to Madagascar and
would send a strong negative signal to other potential
investors. End comment.
MARQUARDT
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/EPS AND AF/E - MBEYZEROV
USDOC FOR BECKY ERKUL - DESK OFFICER
TREASURY FOR FBOYE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2019
TAGS: ECON EMIN PREL MA
SUBJECT: MADAGASCAR: JAPANESE TO RAISE MINING CONCERN AT G8
REF: ANTANANARIVO 431
Classified By: P/E CHIEF DOVIE HOLLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D.
1. (C) Summary: The HAT is threatening to alter the terms of
investment for the USD 4.5 billion Ambatovy nickel mine. The
Japanese, Canadian, and Korean investors involved are gearing
up to defend their interests in arbitration if the HAT goes
forward with its threat. The Japanese Prime Minister intends
to raise this issue at the upcoming G8 summit to seek U.S.
support. End summary.
2. (C) The Malagasy transition government (HAT) is
threatening to alter the terms of investment for the USD 4.5
billion Ambatovy mining joint venture in Madagascar by
Canadian firms Sherritt (40%) and SNC Lavalin (5%),Japanese
firm Sumitomo (27.5%),and Korean firm Kores (27.5%). In a
meeting on June 29 with Ambatovy manager Patrick Hickey, HAT
President Rajoelina gave the company 15 days to respond to
the HAT's request to give partial ownership of the project to
the Malagasy government, increase Ambatovy's royalty
payments, or give certain members of the HAT "signing
bonuses". A fourth option of outright bribe payments was
implied. If Ambatovy does not agree to one of these
proposals, the HAT has threatened to issue a decree to
eliminate Ambatovy's ability to operate under the terms of
the large mining law, completely changing the terms of its
business.
3. (C) The threat does not only involve the four partners,
but also Ambatovy's multitude of international lenders,
including the African Development Bank, the European
Investment Bank, the Export Development Corporation of
Canada, ING, and Japanese and Korean export banks, to whom
Ambatovy owes over USD 2.5 billion. Ambatovy and its lenders
do not accept the HAT's renegotiation attempts and plan to
halt their investment (scheduled to begin production in early
2011) and bring the case to arbitration if the HAT goes
through with its threat, which they now view as serious.
4. (C) Sherritt manager Juanita Montalvo told Emboff July 6
that this effort to squeeze Ambatovy appears to be driven by
the French consulting firm Drake and Bart and by French
attorney Ann-Phillippe de la Giraudiere of the firm La
Giraudiere, Larroze, et Associes, working in conjunction with
French-Malagasy businessman Patrick Leloup. According to
Montalvo, de la Giraudiere had inaccurately argued to
Rajoelina that Ambatovy would be unable to resort to
arbitration if the large mining law no longer applied.
Montalvo said that, in general, cooperation with the HAT on
the working level had been positive, and believed that the
push for renegotiation was only coming from these few actors.
5. (C) Montalvo and Hickey explained that the Japanese Prime
Minister intended to raise the issue at the G8 summit in
Italy July 8-10. Montalvo said that the Japanese are seeking
to convince the Canadians to raise the issue and that they
may do so as well. She also noted that the Japanese are
requesting a meeting with HAT President Rajoelina and are
pressing the Canadians and Koreans to join them for that.
According to Corporate Council on Africa President Steve
Hayes, who recently met with Japan's Africa adviser K.
Komatsu in London, Sumitomo is facing risk of collapse due to
the debt it has accrued for this project if it pulls out or
if its terms of business are altered, and he confirmed that
the Japanese government planned to pressure the HAT to
rescind its ultimatum. As it is one of the "big six
families", Sumitomo's collapse would have a large impact on
the Japanese economy, Hayes explained. Japan would like
closer cooperation with the U.S. on its Africa strategy, to
counter China, and will pressure President Obama to intervene
of its behalf at the G8.
6. (C) Comment: Ambatovy has made the largest investment in
Madagascar's history and is the largest provider of foreign
currency on the island. The company projects that it will
pay USD 2.9 billion to the Government of Madagascar in
royalties, taxes, duties, and fees over the thirty year
life-span of the project. It currently employs around 10,000
ANTANANARI 00000503 002 OF 002
people. Its loss would deal a large blow to Madagascar and
would send a strong negative signal to other potential
investors. End comment.
MARQUARDT