“Here is a rule of thumb for you . If someone uses a day , a date , a time line , take it with a grain of salt . In fact take it like someone has just insulted you.”
Well then Nigel has insulted us several times, just to state the obvious, and done so via direct conversations, corporate videos and via company announcements.
Here’s a little story outline of recent times that would be hilarious if it wasn’t so close to the mark.
Obviously Nigel is not in control of things in the DRC, yet has attempted to provide days / dates, timelines, extensions to AVZ suspension that coincide with the expected issuance of formal ML and resumption of trading. How many times I wonder has he really thought that this is the week, and the ML will be issued and all current issues are behind him. Only to be told, nup sorry Nigel, not going to happen this week and he comes home with his tail between his legs.
Then the same thing happens in the following week or two. Good to go Nigel, please come back, and then shortly after arrival, oh wait, somethings up with CAMI and there will now be a delay in the formalities, Nigel leaves with tail between his legs again.
And then, Nigel, brother, we are now good to go, please come back, Zijin have told the MoP that they will step aside because they care about the DRC. Then on arrival, oh shit, CAMI now need the Zijin withdrawal in writing from the Minister. Nigel brother, you can’t expect CAMI to issue the ML without knowing 100% exactly who the owners are of Dathcom. Oh fuck me, Nigel leaves with tail between his legs again.
Hey Nigel, the MoP is drawing up the documents to confirm Zijin has stepped aside, please come back, we are good to go. On arrival, oh shit the court case with Cong has put a spanner in the works, we thought it would be all over by now, we know the court will find in favour of AVZ but there’s a delay, it should have been over in two days. CAMI now wants that resolved too before they provide the surface rights for payment and issuance ML. Are you kidding me, Nigel leaves with tail between his legs.
Ok Nigel, definitely 100% go to go, Cong court case will be finished and all resolved on Wednesday, please book your tickets to come back, we have lined everything up with CAMI and the MoM, bring your scissors to cut the ribbon, Bill Murray is expected to attend as well
Wow, exciting.
I’m here, finally let’s get this show on the road. Oh dear, Nigel, brother, the DG of CAMI went on unexpected leave, he’s out of the country, we need his signature. Cong has agreed not to claim any ownership percentage of AVZ so all in the clear there around ownership issues, although Cong still has his hand out, but we can sort that out don’t worry. We are so sorry Nigel, look brother since you’re here, let me introduce you to some guys from the US who have similar interests to you, something positive might come from having a chat, they have brought their cheque book with them
To most here, all this is not a laughing matter, some peoples lives are being significantly and adversely impacted, almost 6 months in suspension and delays to the overall project timeline are unacceptable and bloody unfair.
Personally I’m particularly disappointed in AVZ’s lawyers and advisors on the ground just as much if not more so then Nigel and co. Yet pointing fingers at this stage is pointless.
I’ve been directly involved with projects in Africa previously, some were lost or abandoned solely due to corruption.
Fortunately AVZ has international standing / recognition and has a significant profile in country as well. Everyone in country is aware of the challengers and corruption faced by AVZ, it’s not something new or unique to AVZ.
Yet what the DRC Government has done to show direct support of AVZ is something new. Starting with the very public entry to the Battery Minerals Council, getting the IGF to investigate Dathcom, Dathomir, Cominiere, Zijin, MoP and MoM, and provide said report back to The President’s office to action. Where thereafter a plan was devised to clean up the mess that AVZ is in, and to do so without starting a war with parties that have a vested interest (stolen or otherwise) and without creating significant fallout with powerful Ministers who have either been complicit or influenced by corruption and not to mention the Chinese who have a strangle hold on many things in country. Not an easy task when some of these people or parties are buried in like tics deep in the system, and you obviously can’t take them all out behind the woodshed and put a bullet in their head. The most powerful bastard in all of this and the one that has created most all AVZ issues is the DG of CAMI.
That bastard is extremely powerful and seriously wealthy and has been in office some 20 years. He was sacked some 18 months ago by the MoM yet refused to leave, mind boggling really. If there are any stray bullets floating around the DRC I wouldn’t cry if he caught one. This is the bloke that enables Cominiere, Cong and Zijin, and is a close associate of Kabila as you can imagine.
I understand people calling all this a shitshow, they are right. Fortunately one domino at a time is falling into place for AVZ albeit taking longer then anyone expected. Can you imagine the effort by Government to work a solution and lobby Zijin to agree and then state on camera in front of the MoP that they will step aside. Yes they should not have got the shares in the first place which was due to corruption and bribery, but still, that must have taken considerable diplomacy and strategy. Particularly considering the high level Chinese visits and lobbying happening at the same time. Yes we await something offical from AVZ, yet there is no reason to expect that what was stated on camera and by Momentum lawyers is not happening.
I’ve babbled on enough, sorry about that. In short and IMO there is obvious in country political support for AVZ, even though it does not seem like it. Felix has to walk a tight rope to maintain his Presidency, coming out and cracking sculls left, right and centre just wouldn’t work and there would be no one left to run the country, it really is a jungle out there so the clean up has been slow, painful and strategic.
Yet at least things are getting cleaned up, where many other projects or companies just fail.
AVZ, Foxes and Wombats will all survive this and see us come out of suspension very very strongly IMO.
Cheers The Fox