May 16 , 2024. New York City, USA. In response to recent reports and concerns raised by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre regarding human rights abuses in the mining of transition minerals, it is essential to clarify and correct misinformation regarding Solway Investment Group and its recently incorporated new US subsidiary, Fenix Nickel Co.
Fenix Nickel Co., the managing company for Guatemalan mining and processing facilities CGN and Pronico, is incorporated under new management and now operates in the U.S., subject to stringent U.S. laws regarding transparency, anti-corruption, and human rights standards. With the independent oversight of former FBI Director Louis Freeh, our operations maintain a robust commitment to ethical practices and the well-being of our employees and the communities we impact.
Together with Solway, Fenix Nickel Co. welcomes the December 2023 decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Guatemala to recognise the property rights of indigenous communities. It is important to note that this is a dispute that pre-dates Solway’s ownership of the mine and processing facility. We will now do everything we can to assist and cooperate with the Guatemalan Government to achieve justice for the indigenous peoples whose rights were found by the Court to be injured. We will also support the efforts of the Guatemalan Government to conduct discussions with the Agua Caliente community in parallel with our own community engagement.
As a company, we also have a responsibility to the many thousands of ordinary Guatemalans who rely on the mine and processing plant, directly and indirectly, for employment. The local population has repeatedly called on the Ministry to allow them to return to work. We urge the Guatemalan government to acknowledge the demands of the local community and renew the company’s export permits. They have also appealed directly to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for help.
It is unfortunate that the discussion on the essential role of transition minerals, vital for advancing zero-carbon technologies, is clouded by data that does not apply to the company’s reformed and conscientiously managed operations. Both, Solway Investment Group and Fenix Nickel Co. remain dedicated to supporting the global energy transition through responsible and sustainable practices, reinforced by a transparent and legal framework that ensures our accountability and commitment to human rights