China-backed training to help Guinea tap Simandou's economic potential

Sixty rail workers have traveled to China for training that will prepare them to operate trains on the TransGuinean railway, a key part of the strategic Simandou project.

Under the Simandou Academy program, the workers will receive specialized training in locomotive operations before taking up roles on the railway, which links the iron ore deposits in southeastern Guinea to the Atlantic port of Morébayah.

The training is intended to prepare more Guineans for technical roles in the country's growing railway sector and gradually reduce dependence on foreign expertise.

At a departure ceremony held at Morébayah last week, Amara Camara, minister and secretary-general of the presidency, said developing local expertise was central to Guinea's ambitions for the project, which is expected to reshape the country's economy.

"The objective is therefore to ensure that the skills necessary for the operation of strategic infrastructures are progressively mastered by Guineans," he said in a statement.

The training comes as Guinea prepares for a sharp rise in mining exports following the development of Simandou, a multibillion-dollar project involving international investors, including China's Baowu and Chinalco, alongside Rio Tinto and other partners.

The development comprises two major iron ore mining operations, a railway stretching more than 600 kilometers across the country and port facilities on the Atlantic coast.

Together, the infrastructure will allow Guinea to export large volumes of high-grade iron ore while opening opportunities for businesses involved in transport, logistics and related services.

Guinea is set to become one of the world's fastest-growing economies as iron ore exports from the Simandou project expand, the World Bank said in a recent report.

In its latest Guinea Economic Update, the bank projected average annual economic growth of 9 percent between this year and 2028. The outlook puts Guinea among the fastest-growing economies globally, although the bank cautioned that higher mining revenues alone would do little to improve livelihoods without greater investment in skills, local businesses and other sectors of the economy.