In a letter to Ivanhoe Atlantic obtained from the National Investment Commission (NIC) sources and confirmed by officials at The Executive Mansion as authentic, Mr. Jeff Blibo, the Chairman of the NIC has capitulated and withdrawn letters sent to two major investors — Arcelor Mittal and Ivanhoe Atlantic — that had disobeyed the President’s explicit policy that Liberia will transition to a multi-user rail system with an Independent Operator.
In his May 6 withdrawal letter to Ivanhoe Atlantic, addressed to its CEO and copied to the members of the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC), Mr. Blibo writes, “the IMCC has withdrawn the letter dated April 30, 2025, concerning the designation of ArcelorMittal Liberia as the rail operator.” The letter adds that “The President is clear in his directive, the Government remains committed to the appointment of a rail operator for the Yekepa-Buchanan railway corridor, in accordance with Executive Order 136.”
He further writes, “To ensure a smooth transition, the Government — through the National Rail Authority — will in line with the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCA), initiate a competitive process to select a rail operator prior to the expiration of AML’s current Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) in 2030.”
Blibo, without the knowledge of the President and Cabinet Minister from Mines and Energy, Transport, Justice and Finance, unilaterally sent out letters that were contrary to the current policy directive of President Boakai and widely supported by the US Government and other international stakeholders.
