Beyla, Republic of Guinea – SimFer, the joint venture between the Government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto and the Chinalco-led Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH) consortium, welcomed a government delegation composed of the Director General of the Guinean Agency for the Promotion of Employment (AGUIPE) Mr. Antigou Chérif and the Inspector General of Labour, Mr. Mohamed Ouattara as part of an official visit to the Beyla mining site.
During the mission, the delegation visited the main mining facilities as well as the training facilities supported by Rio Tinto SimFer, with a particular focus on the Technical Training Centre constructed at the SimFer mine site and the Vocational Training Centre in Beyla. At the mine site, officials attended a presentation on SimFer’s apprenticeship programs and interacted with staff and trainees regarding training pathways and employability.
The visit also included a tour of the mining facilities and rail spur, giving the delegation an opportunity to appreciate the scale of the project and the measures put in place regarding safety, compliance, and operations management.
The discussions between the government delegation and SimFer’s teams were open, constructive, and fruitful, strengthening mutual understanding of priorities related to local employment, vocational training, compliance with labor laws, and SimFer’s social responsibility.
Antigou Chérif, General Director of the AGUIPE, stated:
“The work underway at SimFer is aligned with the Government’s and AGUIPE’s priorities in terms of promoting employment, developing skills, and maximising the employability of Guineans. I was particularly impressed by the training facilities, both at the mine site and in Beyla and the passion and happiness of the young Guinean apprentices and trainees. They should be incredibly proud to be learning, developing, and focusing on becoming the mining leaders of the future. Our intention, therefore, is to continue our collaboration with SimFer to build on these achievements, strengthen the initiatives already underway, and expand their reach so that more Guineans can access opportunities for training, employment, and professional development.”
Sabrina Marlier, SimFer’s General Manager of Human Resources, emphasized:
“Our training programmes, both on site and in the communities, are a concrete example of our commitment to developing local skills. Through these investments, we are helping to prepare a skilled workforce capable of supporting the Simandou project over the long term and enhancing the employability of young Guineans. We are proud to have shown General Director Mr Antigou Chérif and Inspector of Labour, Mr Mohamed Ouattara our work and are delighted with their feedback. We sincerely thank AGUIPE for their partnership, professionalism and clear expectations around local content and ensuring that we maximise the benefits of Simandou for Guineans.”
Through these initiatives, SimFer supports the training of more than 1,000 employees each week. This includes 69 apprentices progressing into their second year of training (26% women), alongside a further 85 apprentices currently being enrolled (40% women). These efforts are underpinned by significant investments, including USD 20.8 million in the Technical Training Centres at Siatouro. Together, these initiatives reaffirm SimFer’s commitment to creating sustainable employment, developing local skills, advancing the Guineanization Plan, and contributing to the socioeconomic development of the Beyla region and Guinea.