Toamasina, February 4, 2020. Ambatovy’s plant in Toamasina was visited by three Ambassadors posted in Madagascar, namely, that of South Korea, Lim Sang-Woo, that of France, Christophe Bouchard, that of the United States, Michaël P. Pelletier, as well as the Office Manager of the Norwegian Embassy, Andréas Danevad, on Monday, February 3, 2020.
The visit began with a short introduction by Ambatovy’s President, Stuart Macnaughton, regarding the general overview of this nickel and cobalt operation, which stands out by its operations entirely carried out in Madagascar: from the extraction to the refining of nickel and cobalt, and by its important economic impact on the country.
The visit continued with a tour of Ambatovy’s Plant, which covers an area of 320 hectares, including the refinery where the Ambassadors were able to see the nickel and cobalt briquettes coming out of the machines.
At the end of this visit, the four Ambassadors gave their impressions to the few journalists present:
“We came here, (…) because Ambatovy, (…) is a model investment. We think that if it can be replicated in other parts of Madagascar, it would really be a great thing for the development of this country,” said South Korean Ambassador Lim Sang-Woo, before adding that “it is actually a project that can be a model investment for those interested in coming to Madagascar.”
French Ambassador Christophe Bouchard shared this point of view by saying “there must be a good understanding between the Government of Madagascar and foreign companies. Offering normal installation conditions, legal consistency, and transparency in relations so that everyone benefits and wins as they say. (…) For the benefit of the companies that have come to invest and take a risk and, of course, ultimately for the country, and the population, in order to create wealth for Madagascar.”
The Ambassador of the United States, Michaël P. Pelletier, stressed the importance of the private sector in the development of the country. “I think that the most interesting and important thing was to see the vital role played by the private sector. We know that the President in his Emergence Plan is now looking at the importance of the private sector’s role,” he said, before concluding in these terms: “(…) we are very impressed by what we have seen today and we remain hopeful that it can continue and thrive.”
