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Article

10 Jun 2012

Author:
Monica Mark, Guardian [UK]

Sierra Leone fortunes change as diamond trade brings back investment

[T]he Koidu Holdings diamond mine...[was] once at the heart of [Sierra Leone]'s...civil war…Now, the mine…supplies…Tiffany's. It is at the heart of a remarkable turnaround that has lifted this nation…to world-leading growth of 35%...The government hopes the…success of wildcat explorers will pave the way for big multinationals…allowing Sierra Leone to haul itself into the ranks of middle-income countries…Other companies are [also] pouring money into a sector…But the government has to negotiate a fraught path. There is an immense skills gap after an entire generation was denied basic education during the war, and high expectations have strained mining companies' relationships with their hosts…[refers to London Mining, Executive Outcomes, Glencore, Hilton Group]