Abdoulaye Magassouba is a Guinean economist and politician who has marked the history of his country with his exceptional achievements in the mining sector. Born in March 1976 in Macenta, this son of a civil servant agronomic engineer climbed the ladder brilliantly, leading an inspiring professional career in the private and public sectors.
His transition as Minister of Mines and Geology from 2016 to 2021 has been marked by bold reforms that have driven Guinea to a world leader in the mining industry, attracting record investment, enhancing transparency and governance, and promoting sustainable development and local transformation. Internationally recognized for his leadership and achievements, Abdoulaye Magassouba has become a symbol of success and hope for Guinean youth, demonstrating that determination and commitment can transform a country and leave a lasting mark.
Introduction
Abdoulaye Magassouba is a man who has marked the history of Guinea with his dedication and outstanding achievements in the mining sector. Born in March 1976 in Macenta, this Guinean economist and politician has climbed the ladder with determination, leading an inspiring professional career in the private and public sectors. His transition to the Ministry of Mines and Geology has been marked by bold reforms that have driven the country to a world leader in the mining industry.
Childhood and Education
From a modest family, Abdoulaye Magassouba grew up in an environment conducive to learning and development. His father, a civil servant and an agronomic engineer, travelled through the regions of Guinea, giving his son a unique perspective on the country's cultural diversity. From an early age, Abdoulaye demonstrated a remarkable talent for studies, culminating with his ranking among the first in the republic at the baccalaureate in 1994 and 1995, option sciences-mathematics.
Through a scholarship, he was able to pursue his higher education at the School of Management and Information Technology High Technology School in Morocco in Rabat, where he obtained his graduate degree in Financial Management in 2000, as a major of his promotion. Insatiable in his quest for knowledge, Abdoulaye Magassouba then won a Fulbright scholarship that enabled him to study at Williams College in the United States, where he earned a Master in Development Economics in 2011.
Professional career
Private sector
After returning to Guinea in the early 2000s, Abdoulaye Magassouba began his private sector career as an auditor for Arthur Andersen, then KPMG. Thanks to his expertise and dedication, he quickly climbed the ladder, performing audit and advisory tasks with entities in various sectors such as mining, insurance, telecommunications, electricity, microfinance, trade and industry.
In 2007, he was appointed director of project trust agencies, where he worked on the design and implementation of projects funded by multilateral donors such as the World Bank and the United Nations. His expertise has been requested for large-scale projects, including the National Health Development Plan Support Project, the Multisectoral AIDS Project and the World Fund for HIV/AIDS 2nd Phase Project.
Public sector
Advisor to the Presidency of the Republic
In March 2013, Abdoulaye Magassouba was appointed Adviser to the Office of Monitoring and Support of the Presidency of the Republic. In this strategic role, he supported the implementation of the President's priority projects in the mining, energy and agriculture sectors. His expertise has been valuable for major projects such as GAC, Simandou, Boffa, the Guinea-Abu Dhabi strategic cooperation and the Souapiti hydroelectric development project.
Minister of Mines and Geology
On January 4, 2016, Abdoulaye Magassouba was appointed Minister of Mines and Geology in the government of Mamady Youla, a nomination that would change the course of Guinea's mining history. Following the Ebola crisis that shook the Guinean economy, it had the tough task of reviving the sector by attracting investment.
Major Reforms and Achievements
As Minister of Mines and Geology, Abdoulaye Magassouba undertook a series of bold reforms that transformed Guinea's mining landscape. Here are some of his notable achievements:
Sanitation of the Mining Cadastre
In April 2016, it announced the withdrawal of 142 inactive mining permits, as part of the refinement of the mining cadastre, and the closure of the renegotiation of mining conventions and titles initiated in 2012. This decision has rationalized the sector and attracted new investors.
Single Window and Online Mining Cadastre
In order to facilitate the procedures for obtaining various permits and authorizations by investors, a single checkpoint was set up in July 2016. In addition, the mining registry was modernized and made online on March 27, 2017, thereby improving the transparency and efficiency of the sector.
Pooling of Infrastructures
Abdoulaye Magassouba has been working to accelerate the implementation of the infrastructure mutualization agreement between three major companies in the country (GAC, Rusal and CBG), thereby reducing the costs associated with mining projects and optimizing resources.
Transparency and Governance
As part of transparency in the sector, the National Mine Commission, including civil society, was set up by presidential decree in January 2017. In addition, the country hasined its compliance with the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (ITIE), thereby enhancing the credibility of the Guinea mining sector.
Record Investments and Global Positioning
Thanks to the reforms implemented, the mining sector attracted more than $3 billion in investment between 2016 and 2018, and an unprecedented commitment of additional $7 billion by 2025. Guinea rose from 7th to 3rd in the world as a bauxite producer in 2017, positioning itself as the leading bauxit exporter to China.
Local Content Development and Environmental Protection
Abdoulaye Magassouba paid particular attention to local content development, local transformation and environmental protection. A Directorate for Local Content and Community Relations was established within the Department in June 2016, and the Local Development Fund (LDPF) was put into operation in December 2018 to finance local development projects from the direct contribution of mining companies.
Promotion of Local Transformation
Aware of the importance of local transformation, Abdoulaye Magassouba actively promoted this initiative. Many projects such as those of TBEA, Chalco, SBG and SMB now include the construction of aluminum refineries or aluminum foundries in their conventions.
International Recognition
The reforms undertaken in the mining sector have been acknowledged by investors and development partners. Guinea was ranked by the World Bank as one of the 5 most reforming countries in 2017, thanks to the extensive contribution of the mining sector to the dynamic of reforms.
Strengthening Control and Repatriation of Income
In addition to reforms and new mining projects, strengthened control in the sector has increased the repatriation rate of artisanal gold export revenue from 42% in 2016 to 95%, enabling the Guinean economy to benefit from $1 billion in repatrie funds in 2017.
Improvement of Geological Knowledge
Aware of the importance of geological knowledge for the development of the mining sector, the Ministry of Mines and Geology reactivated in June 2017 a more than 30-year-old project on the interpretation of geophysical and geological data, the establishment of a geospatial database and mapping on the scale of 1/100,000th covering the entire territory for the first time.
Relaunch of Local Geological Research
After 40 years of shutdown, the Ministry of Mines resumed local geological research on 23 November 2018, a crucial step for the sustainable development of the mining sector.
Leadership on the International Scene
In April 2017, at the 5th conference of the Association of Diamond Producers (ADPA), Abdoulaye Magassouba was appointed as the head of the association, testifying to his recognition on the international stage.
In addition, it has been actively involved in Guinea's application to host the African Mining Development Centre (CADM). Following a rigorous selection process, Guinea was officially chosen to host this institution at the African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, from 25 June to 2 July 2018, a further recognition of Guinea's leadership in the mining sector.
Conclusion
The journey of Abdoulaye Magassouba is a true source of inspiration. With his dedication, expertise and bold vision, he has succeeded in transforming Guinea’s mining sector, driving it to a world leader. Its reforms have attracted record investment, strengthened transparency and governance, and promoted sustainable development and local transformation.
Beyond his professional achievements, Abdoulaye Magassouba has demonstrated a remarkable ability to overcome challenges and seize opportunities. Its journey demonstrates the power of determination and commitment, thereby inspiring future generations to pursue their dreams and contribute to the development of their country.
Guinea can be proud to have included among its ranks a man as visionary and dedicated as Abdoulaye Magassouba. His legacy will remain engraved in the history of the Guinea mining sector, and his example will continue to inspire those who aspire to transform their country and leave a lasting footprint on the world.
