Barrick Gold has pledged its support against the fight of the coronavirus (COVID-19) across five African countries. The mining giant is donating over $6 million to Zambia, Tanzania, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali.
To help Zambia in combating the COVID-19, a $530 000 cheque was handed to Minister of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya, Minister of Mines & Mineral Development Richard Musukwa and Provincial Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu.
“As a committed partner to Zambia we would also like to make a contribution to the government’s fight against the pandemic. We are consequently funding the provision of medical equipment to the value of $340 000 at the national level, $100 000 for the North-Western province and $90 000 for the Kalumbila district,” commented Nathan Chishimba, Barrick Gold’s country manager for Zambia.
In Tanzania, Barrick was contributing $1.7 million, in the form of critical equipment and expertise to help prevent the spread of the virus in Tanzania. Of this amount, $960 000 will go to the national level, $505 000 to the regional level and $250 000 to the local level.
According to Willem Jacobs, Barrick’s chief operating officer for Africa and Middle East region, at the national level the company would be concentrating its efforts and contributions on Mloganzila as an isolation unit for confirmed cases and the Mabibo hostel as a quarantine centre. Regional support will be focused on Musoma, Shinyanga and Geita where isolation centres will be created and equipped.
Barrick collaborated with CSTT-AO, its West African logistics partner to contribute $972 000 in Senegal. Of the amount donated, $850,000 would be allocated at a national level, $10 000 at a regional level, $55 000 would go to district and local communities and $57 000 to the Kedougou hospital.
Barrick’s country manager for Senegal David Mbaye explained that in addition to the donation, Barrick would also assist with the procurement and supply of personal protection equipment through CSTTAO.
For its COVID-19 campaign, Côte d’Ivoire received $1.3 million, whereby $850 000 of that amount will be allocated at a national level, $320 000 at a regional level and $135 000 will go to the district and communities around Barrick’s Tongon mine.
Lastly, the Malian government received a $1.5 million donation to support its Covid-19 containment campaign. The donation includes an amount of $426,000 being provided for special equipment to strengthen the medical infrastructure regionally and in the communities around the company’s mines.
