Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The Ivanhoe Atlantic/HPX concession cannot proceed without explicit cross-border authorization from the current Guinean authorities, according to the Liberian Senate Transport Committee, which has put new pressure on the Executive to obtain formal consent from the Guinean government before any further consideration of the deal.
The demand came after a committee hearing revealed a crucial flaw in the papers pertaining to the US$2.8 billion concession, including the lack of a formal confirmation from Guinea’s present government. According to Senate documents, the only correspondence that was given to lawmakers was sent in 2020 while former Guinean President Alpha Condé was in office.
Members of the committee expressed worry that Liberia’s responsibilities under cross-border infrastructure agreements governing rail and port access between the two nations are compromised by depending on out-of-date correspondence. Senators cautioned that Liberia might face legal challenges and diplomatic repercussions if they moved on without renewed consent.
During the hearing, representatives from the National Investment Commission spoke to the fact that many attempts to contact Guinea’s government through its embassy in Monrovia were met with no official answer. Lawmakers questioned if appropriate diplomatic channels were used to obtain the necessary concurrence, despite the NIC’s claim that it followed up throughout talks.
The Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chair criticized the procedure for eschewing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claiming that investment agencies are not authorized to engage in high-level diplomatic discussions on issues pertaining to international accords.
Nonetheless, government representatives tried to convince the committee that Guinea is still economically involved in the project. Senators emphasized that economic advantage does not replace official governmental permission, but the Ministry of Transport cited Guinea’s stated equity stake, anticipated access fees, and plans for downstream industrial growth as proof of ongoing interest.
The committee examined outstanding issues related to rail access and governance in addition to the Guinea consent problem. Given that any third-party access arrangement must respect existing legal rights, senators expressed concerns about possible conflicts between the proposed concession and ArcelorMittal Liberia’s current rail operations.
The Ministry of Finance explained that the current concession contains provisions for third-party access to be regulated through a future independent framework, and that ArcelorMittal Liberia maintains operational control of the rail system until 2030 under its modified Mineral Development Agreement.
The Executive announced plans to create a National Rail Authority in accordance with an Executive Order signed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in October 2024 in order to address long-term governance. After 2030, the authority would take charge of train operations and control multi-user access using currently negotiated standard operating principles.
Members of the committee stressed that the Ivanhoe Atlantic/HPX concession is still procedurally incomplete until official Guinean assent is obtained and rail governance issues are fully handled. Senators said that the agreement’s success will depend on documentation rather than guarantees.
