From: Eugene Nagbe Sent: 11 May 2016 To: Daniel Balint-Kurti Subject: Global Witness: Liberian Government Response To Your Email Mr. David Balint-Kurti Global Witness Dear Mr.Balint-Kurti: Kindly accept our appreciation for your email (addressed to Dr. Edward McClain, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs of Liberia) in which you informed the Government of Liberia that Global Witness will shortly be putting out a report on businessmen Phil Edmonds and Andrew Groves, including a chapter on Liberia. You also alerted us that the report will include evidence to support allegations that Sable Mining and its affiliates paid out bribes, through Cllr. Varney Sherman, “to a wide range of government officials” with the aim to have Sable “get hold of the concession for Wologizi”. The Government of Liberia is concerned about these grave allegations of bribery and therefore wishes to encourage Global Witness to make available all information on this matter so that it can take appropriate action to investigate and prosecute if a violation of the laws of Liberia is determined. However, we wish to clarify that the government of Liberia has never initiated, commissioned, nor participated in any process for granting a concession of the Wologizi Mountains to Sable. In 2013, the Presidents of Liberia and Guinea signed a joint communiqué which mandated relevant ministries and agencies of the two countries to begin negotiations that would culminate into an agreement to grant third party access of the Tokadeh-Buchanan rail for the conveyance of iron ore mined in Guinea to the Port of Buchanan in Liberia. Parties to these negotiations included the Governments of Liberia and Guinea, West Africa Exploration, an affiliate of Sable, and Arcelor-Mittal which currently holds a Mineral Development Agreement with Liberia that grants it first party use of rail. Though not yet consummated, the process of negotiating said agreement is being carried out with full transparency in keeping with the laws of Liberia and international best practice. Once again, please be assured that the Government of Liberia remains committed to working with Global Witness and other partners in ensuring openness, transparency and good governance. Be further assured that the Administration of President has no tolerance for any act of corruption and will therefore spare no efforts in getting to the bottom of the issue and bring to justice anyone found to be culpable. Best regards, Eugene Lenn Nagbe MINISTER Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism Monrovia, Liberia