Moroccan company to explore gold in Sudan

September 14, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan has awarded a Moroccan company two exploration licenses for gold in areas thought to be rich in minerals, the official SUNA reported Sunday.

The Government of Sudan, represented in the Ministry of Energy ad Mining, Sunday signed with the Moroccan Mines Company (Manajim) an agreement to explore gold at Square (15) in Wadi-Gigiya and Square (24) in Al-Sharif area.

The square 15 is located in the Red See State and the second is in the River Nile state.

The Minister of Energy and Mining, Al-Zubair Ahmed Al-Hassan, has signed the agreement on behalf of Sudan government and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Moroccan Manajim Company, Abdul-Aziz Abaru, signed for it.

At the signing ceremony, the Minister of Energy and Mining, Al-Zubair Ahmed Al-Hassan, said that his ministry will provide all facilities for the company to carrying out its work at the privilege areas, calling on Manajim to give regard to realizing social development at the fixed gold exploration areas.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Manajim Company said that his company is regarding the agreement as an important one due to its contribution to consolidating the relations between Sudan and Morocco.

He said that Manajim Company has assigned three million dollars to implement the pre-mining operations, adding that the company will begin its work at Squares (15) and (24) in the coming two weeks.

There are French and Chinese gold mining firms working in eastern Sudan while a South African and British companies work in southern Sudan since last year.

(ST)