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CONAKRY, 01 April 2022 The Winning Consortium (WCS, WCSR and WCSP) signed on Friday 25 March 2022, a new Framework Agreement with the government of Guinea and Rio Tinto Simfer for the co-development of the Simandou project.

This agreement defined a framework under which we believe a reasonable and reciprocal cooperation arrangement could be reached. We are confident as ever about the enabling business environment of Guinea to retain confidence of investing parties.

The Consortium is committed to the three conventions (mine, rail and port) approved by the National Assembly of Guinea in 2020, and this newly signed agreement through working jointly with partners to achieve the success of Simandou.

We are aligned with the desire of the Guinean Government regarding project timeline and its vision on contribution to social value creation.

On February 24, 2022, as part of corporate social responsibility initiatives, Dr. Sylvia Wang, Director of the Winning Simandou Consortium (WCS) Chimpanzee Conservation Office, and the Simandou Railway HSE team visited the Conservation for Chimpanzees (CCC) in Faranah in Guinea and met Mrs. Christelle, head of the CCC and her team. Accompanied by Ms. Christelle, the WCS team toured the CCC facilities, including cages, labs and feeding rooms, and gained a comprehensive understanding of current operations and the challenges facing the center. The two parties had an in-depth exchange of views on how to work together.

In addition, Christelle also presented the training programs currently being carried out in the region to the Conservation Office team. It is understood that the decline in chimpanzee numbers in recent years is linked to the destruction of their habitat, including through burning, logging, agricultural development, poaching and the pet trade. A win-win collaboration with the communities is one of the key factors to improve the situation.

During this meeting, Sylvia expressed her sincere desire to work together to contribute to the education of children and young people in the region, which would empower the local community and ultimately raise awareness of the whole population to environmental issues. Helping villagers to increase their income steadily in an environmentally-friendly way will also have a positive impact on chimpanzee habitat conservation. Dr. Sylvia Wang pointed out that there are more than 100 villages along the Morebaya-Simandou railway and that many employees come from these villages. WCS hopes to introduce CCC training programs to improve chimpanzee conservation along the railway.

On 21st August 2021, Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) organized a training session on the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for more than 10 railway contractors of the Simandou Project. The training was provided by ERM, the world’s leading consultancy in environment, occupational health and safety, risks, social consultancy services, and sustainable development. The topics during the training included “International Standards for Environmental and Social Management Systems”, “Differences between Guinean and International Compliance Requirements”, and “Environmental and Social Action Plan – On-site Construction Activities and Potential Environmental and Social Impacts”.

This two-day ESMP training for railway contractors was extremely informative. ERM focused on different aspects of the International Finance Corporation (IFC)’s Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability, the Equator Principles, and the laws and regulations of the country where the project is located. These included the “environmental and social risk and impact assessment and management”, “workers and working conditions”, “resource efficiency and pollution prevention”, “community health, safety and security”, “land acquisition and involuntary resettlement” and “biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of biological natural resources”; “indigenous people” and “cultural heritage”.

Winning Consortium Simandou is committed to adhering to high international environment and social standards in the development of the mining project, and contributing to the value of the mining industry whilst ensuring environmental and community harmony and sustainable development. In the future, the Consortium will also organize ESMP training for other subcontractors, including local service providers in Guinea, and ensure a dynamic monitoring and management of the environmental and social impacts of subcontractors and service providers throughout the project construction process.

The Community Team traveled to M’Banidou to join the community in joy over the efforts to help them install a good fountain for the drinking water supply, as part of the community contribution of Winning Consortium Simandou . Local residents thanked WCS and congratulated by saying that the WCS is a citizen society, which engages in the development of all the communities nearby.

Concluding with prayers and blessings, local villagers reassured WCS staff to commit all their efforts to raise awareness to the project.