As the construction phase of the Simandou mining and infrastructure megaproject draws to a close, Guinean authorities are seeking to prevent the equipment, companies and expertise mobilised during the works from leaving the country. Against this backdrop, the Forum on the Remobilisation of Equipment, Companies and Strategic Assets from the Simandou Project opened in Conakry on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, under the auspices of the Simandou Strategic Committee.
Over two days, government officials, national and international companies, technical and financial partners, and investors discussed how to leverage the assets developed through the megaproject and redirect them towards the country’s future strategic projects, in line with the Simandou 2040 programme.
At the opening of the forum, Minister Secretary-General of the Presidency General Amara Camara announced the completion of the Simandou mining and infrastructure megaproject, describing it as a historic milestone for Guinea. According to him, “the extraction, transportation and export of Simandou iron ore are now a reality.”
For the authorities, however, this milestone does not mark the end of the ambition surrounding Simandou. Instead, it should open a new phase focused on leveraging the equipment, companies and human capital mobilised during construction. “The Simandou mining corridor is now a reality. It must also serve as a springboard for the future,” General Amara Camara said, calling on businesses and private-sector partners to explore new opportunities beyond the mining corridor.
Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works Facinet Sylla stressed the need to retain in Guinea the heavy equipment and expertise acquired during the project’s development. “Are we going to let this equipment leave and this expertise disappear?” he asked, noting the country’s substantial infrastructure needs. The B2B meetings organised as part of the forum are intended to connect companies that own this equipment with investors and financial partners to help bring concrete projects to life.
Minister of Mines and Geology Bouna Sylla also called for the preservation of the “technical, industrial and human capital” developed around Simandou. He believes these assets should be redirected towards new projects in sectors such as energy, industry, transport, agriculture and technology.
To support this transition, a digital platform has been established to catalogue available companies, equipment and skills. It is intended to facilitate connections between businesses, public institutions, investors and financial partners.
The forum’s second day also highlighted the role of the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing and Territorial Development, MUHAT, in implementing the Simandou 2040 programme. The ministry intends to contribute to the planning of future projects, spatial development and the expansion of social infrastructure.
MUHAT also called for greater involvement from Guinean companies in future projects, particularly through partnerships or joint ventures with foreign firms.
Through this forum, the authorities aim to turn the end of Simandou’s construction phase into the beginning of a new development drive. Guinea wants to capitalise on the equipment, expertise and companies already present in the country to accelerate future projects in transport, energy, industry, agriculture, housing and technology.
The challenge will now be to turn the announced commitments into concrete achievements by mobilising the necessary financing and strengthening the participation of national companies. For the authorities, the objective is clear: to ensure that Simandou’s industrial legacy remains in Guinea and serves as a driving force for the country’s economic transformation under the Simandou 2040 vision.