The government of Guinea has initiated the process of withdrawing Emirates Global Aluminium’s (EGA) mining licence, escalating a dispute over customs duties that began in October 2024. The move follows the suspension of EGA’s bauxite exports and mining operations in the country.
According to sources cited by Reuters, Guinea has officially notified EGA of the licence withdrawal. A senior Guinean government official confirmed that the process is underway, though no further details have been made public.
EGA, jointly owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala and the Investment Corporation of Dubai, operates in Guinea through its subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC). Since commencing operations in 2019, GAC has developed one of the largest bauxite mines in the country, located on a 690 km² concession estimated to hold around 400 million tonnes of bauxite resources.
In 2022, GAC exported approximately 14 million tonnes of bauxite. However, that figure declined to 10.8 million wet metric tonnes in 2024 due to the suspension of operations linked to the ongoing dispute.
Guinea is the world’s second-largest producer of bauxite after Australia. The current action against EGA aligns with a broader trend in the region, where governments in Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—many led by military administrations—have begun asserting stronger control over natural resources. These efforts have included revising mining laws, halting production, and in some cases detaining company representatives or seizing goods.
In a statement, EGA said it is actively seeking a resolution to resume operations in Guinea.
