Economically helping the southern population

The Base Toliara project, which had been suspended since 2019 due to fiscal, social, and environmental issues, will resume after the suspension has been lifted.

Intense discussions were held with the government of Madagascar, in addition to consultations with residents. The suspension was mainly due to tax issues, but also social and environmental impacts. This project is expected to create approximately 4,000 direct and indirect jobs, including 2,000 for mining activities and between 1,000 and 1,500 for subcontractors and induced jobs.

However, despite Madagascar’s significant mining potential, the country lacks qualified engineers and technicians. « We will optimize local employment, prioritizing the residents of Toliara first, followed by Malagasy nationals and finally foreigners », said the director. According to him, the concerns of local communities led to the project’s halt in 2019. « However, I want to emphasize that from a medical and ecological point of view, the residents of Toliara should not be hesitant », he added.

It is worth noting that the Base Toliara project began in 1997. The company received its exploration permits in 1999 and its environmental and social permits in 2015, all subject to stringent requirements.