The Swedish Export Credit Board, EKN, will not withdraw its billion-dollar support to the criticized Kamoa mine in Congo Kinshasa – despite Kalla fakta’s review.
It emerged when those responsible at EKN were heard in the business committee.
– We have no information today that requires us to cancel the agreement, but we continue our follow-up, says EKN’s director general Anna-Karin Jatko.
The Export Credit Board’s director general and chairman of the board visited the Riksdag’s business committee on Thursday to answer questions about its credit guarantees to the criticized Kamoa mine in Congo Kinshasa, which Kalla fakta reviewed.
The message from the director general was clear – the export credit board, EKN, will not withdraw its credit guarantees for Swedish deals with the criticized Kamoa mine in Congo Kinshasa at the moment. This despite the fact that Kalla fakta’s review has shown that the company behind the copper mine is linked to several violations of human rights.
It is about poisoned water, forced displacement, excessive violence and even child labor in a neighboring mine with the same main owner, Chinese Zijin.
But EKN’s management stands by its decision to give Swedish businesses with the Kamoa mine loan guarantees of two billion kroner.
– We have no information today that requires us to cancel the agreement, but we continue our follow-up, says EKN’s director general Anna-Karin Jatko.
– We have a follow-up four times a year to ensure that it takes place according to international regulations, she continues.
No requirements to withdraw credit guarantees
After the close to an hour-long drawing before the board, there were no demands to withdraw the credit guarantees, even though some question marks had not been corrected.
– I have continued confidence if they continue to do the follow-up they say they will do. On the other hand, I think it was a bit questionable about how they made the decision, before the mine was even up and running, says Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C), vice chairman of the business committee.
Something that Lorena Delgado Varas (V), deputy in the nutrition committee does not agree with.
– The most remarkable thing about today’s meeting was that all the information came from Kamoa. Trusting a company that operates in the Congo and has been criticized by Amnesty is perhaps not the best source of information, she tells TV4 Nyheterna.
Cold facts: The death mines
Shootings, child labor and life-threatening mine tunnels. Cold facts have reviewed Sweden’s billion-dollar aid to the copper mine in the Congo.