Ikulu says talks with Barrick going well

Dar es Salaam. Talks between the government and Barrick Gold Corporation over a mining dispute are progressing well.

A statement to that effect has been issued today, September 8, by the government, a day after President Magufuli broke the silence on the talks.

However, a press statement issued by Director of Presidential Communication, Mr Gerson Msigwa, did not go into details.

The two sides are meeting over dispute on a number of issued surrounding operations of Acacia, a Barrick Gold subsidiary, which operates a number of gold mines in Tanzania.

Earlier in the year President John Magufuli halted export of sand concentrates by the mining giant before forming two committees whose findings indicated that the mining firm has been shortchanging the government.

Government moved to write new mining laws and called the mining firm for talks, which have been held under strict secret for weeks now.

In the statement Mr Msigwa urged Tanzanians to remain calm as they will be informed on the outcome of the talks in the due course.

The Tanzanian team in the talk is led by minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi.