“Deal announced over Las Bambas” 08 April, 2019

On 7 April, as we went to press, it was announced that an agreement had been struck between the leaders of the community of Fuerabambas, the Chinese company that owns La Bambas, and government negotiators headed by Prime Minister Salvador del Solar. The meeting was hosted by the Bishops Conference in Lima which appears to have played a decisive role in bringing the community, the company and the state together…The key agreements reached included: - An end to the road blocks that have led to the suspension of mineral shipments between the Las Bambas mine [part of MMG, part of China Minmetals] and the port of Matarani for nearly two months. -A “mutually satisfactory” financial deal between MMG and the community of Fuerabambas concerning the property of Yavi Yavi. -Agreement by MMG to honour promises of local employment first made by Xstrata in 2009. MMG took over the project from Xstrata-Glencore. A delegation of ministers which will travel next week to Cotabambas in Apurímac to discuss the region’s development needs…Although the precise details of the agreement remain unclear, it appears to bring to an end a long-running conflict that has been costly both to the communities, the Chinese company and to the Peruvian state. It remained unclear whether the agreement would resolve the complaints of people living in Chalhuahuacho, a town close to the mine, and other long-running issues remain.