World Bank’s MIGA honours GAC head
ABUDHABI: Emirates Global Aluminium, the world’s largest premium-aluminium producer, on Saturday announced that the Director General of its bauxite mining and export subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation, has been recognised by the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, for her role in advancing women and gender equality.
Aissata Beavogui, the first woman to hold such a senior position in Guinea’s mining industry, received the ‘Gender CEO’ award at a ceremony in Washington DC, before International Women’s Day which takes place tomorrow.
MIGA’S ‘Gender CEO’ award recognises senior managers who have a demonstrated track record of advancing women and gender equality while contributing to the World Bank Group’s twin goals of poverty reduction and shared prosperity. The theme of the 2020 award was ‘Women Driving Growth in Africa’.
In addition to her career-long commitment to advancing women and promoting gender equality, Ms. Beavogui was recognised for GAC’S ongoing work to empower women. GAC ensures women, who often work land that is owned by men, are included in the compensation process when land is acquired for mining and other operations GAC also promotes training and microcredit programs to assist women in communities neighbouring its operations to start their own businesses.
EGA’S Chief Executive Officer, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, said: “I applaud Aïssata for this achievement, which recognises her work in promoting the role of women in Guinean society over many years as well as at GAC. As the late Sheikh Zayed said ‘The woman is half of the society; any country which pursues development should not leave her in poverty or illiteracy’. This has driven our own work in Guinea, and Aissata has been at the forefront of it.”
MIGA Executive Vice President Hiroshi Matano said: “MIGA appreciates its partnership with Guinea Alumina Corporation, and we think that shining a spotlight on you and the work of the company in Guinea will encourage new investments in the country that are essential for generating positive results in terms of development.”
Ms. Béavogui said: “This award is recognition for everyone at GAC and EGA. In my role as Director General, and as a proud Guinean woman, I want to play my part in ensuring the benefits of mining development are maximised throughout the Boke region. In particular I want to make sure that women are especially considered in all our decisions and actions, and that they have a voice, commensurate with the important role they play in our society.”