Post #155

🇱🇷 Who Is Liberia's New Mines Minister Last week Liberia's President Joseph Boakai has replaced Wilmot J. M. Paye with R. Matenokay Tingban at Mines and Energy as the government courts U.S. capital for lithium, cobalt, manganese and rare earths. We've discussed who was the former minister, but who leads Liberian mines now? 🔸Tingban worked for years inside the Ministry of Mines and Energy and later served as Deputy Minister under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, giving him hands-on experience with concessions and the ministry’s daily operations. He also got elected in the legislature, representing Nimba District #9 and in 2016 he chaired the House Committee on Lands, Mines, Energy and Natural Resources. ⏩This appointment will speed up deal-making and shape the flow of new mining investment into Liberia. 🔸 In contrast to his predecessor,he is a system technocrat, and not a manifesto politician. He knows concession paperwork and how ministries interact with investors, which makes him an easy counterpart for companies exploring new critical-minerals projects. The timing, alongside a broader reshuffle, is meant to project predictability to investors. 🔸The country's ministerial reshuffle is openly aimed at attracting foreing investors in mining, with iron ore still being the main source of country's exports revenues. On October 16 Liberia’s Foreign Minister Nyanti met US' Marco Rubio to discuss Washington’s interest in Liberia’s critical minerals sector. Bringing in investment and diversifying beyond iron ore is good, but Liberia also needs to grow non-extractive sectors. For now, the government’s clearest signal is deeper cooperation with the United States on minerals, not a whole-economy diversification drive. Devils Below