The Minister of Mines and Geology, Jean Claude Kouassi proceeded this Saturday, January 25, 2020 to the installation of the Local Mining Development Committee of Daapleu in the sub-prefecture of Blolequin. This ceremony, which recorded the presence of the administrative, political and traditional authorities of Zouan-hounien and Bloléquin, was an opportunity for the Minister of Mines and Geology to call for more actions in
favor of the vulnerable strata of the neighboring communities.

According to Minister Jean-Claude Kouassi, the Local Mining Development Committee (Cdlm) of the Daapleu Gold Mine, created by decree of December 23, 2019, aims to provide local populations with the
economic and social development which will ensure for each and every one of them, greater well-being, well-being and more decent living conditions.

It is made up of representatives of the Ity and Daapleu mining complex, the prefectural body of Bloléquin, the departmental director of Guiglo mines, village and community leaders, representatives of
young people and women from the 19 villages impacted by the Daapleu gold mine.

To support the brand new Cdlm in its operation, a check for 194,810,000 (one hundred and ninety-four million eight hundred and ten thousand francs), was given to it by the Minister on behalf of the Andeavor group
Minning, the company that operates the Daapleu mine.

Addressing the committee chaired by the prefect of the Bloléquin department, Coulibaly Sidiki, the minister told them of their responsibilities and obligations. “Act for local development by creating jobs for the most vulnerable, for women and for young people, because I say it and I repeat it here, unemployment is the root cause of exclusion.

Select and finance the best structured and most promising projects in the interest of our parents, our sisters and our brothers. Promote the development of a fabric of small and medium-sized businesses that can, tomorrow, contribute to the development of the local economy thanks to
to the markets that you will award them following calls for tenders", he instructed.

He also urged them to always have the general interest as their benchmark and guide. That is to say the interest of all to the detriment of selfish and partisan interests.

This ceremony was an opportunity for the Minister in charge of Mines and Geology to congratulate the performance of gold production in Côte d'Ivoire.

"As of December 31, 2019, our country's gold production, which was 24.06 tonnes at the end of 2018, rose to 32,478 tonnes, where the most optimistic forecasts placed it at around 26 tonnes. In less than a decade, Côte d'Ivoire, our beautiful country, has succeeded in multiplying by four (4) its gold production, which was only 7 tonnes at the end of 2009", is he happy.