Trafigura agrees Ghana gold purchase and $65m financing for mine restart

Trafigura has agreed to buy 700,000 ounces of gold doré from Ghana’s Bogoso-Prestea Gold Mine and provide $65 million in debt financing to help restart operations, according to Trade Finance Global. The commodities trader signed the agreement on Thursday, 9 April. The mine ceased operations in 2024, and the financing is intended to support its return to production.

The arrangement combines a commitment to purchase the mine’s output with debt funding for its restart. It is among several commodity finance, trade and payments developments covered in the publication’s weekly briefing, alongside a crisis support programme for African and Caribbean economies and investment requirements for South-East Asia’s green transition.

Afreximbank announced a $10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme on Tuesday, 7 April, the outlet reported. The initiative is designed to shield economies in Africa and the Caribbean from disruption arising from the conflict in the Middle East. The briefing identifies that disruption as the reason for the programme, rather than detailing individual financing commitments under it.

In South-East Asia, the annual investment needed to support the green transition is estimated at $210 billion, according to Trade Finance Global. Its summary links the region’s rapid economic expansion to rising pollution and depleted natural resources. It also highlights a mismatch between regional suppliers and Western buyers’ growing demand for climate-friendly infrastructure.

The publication separately points to a change in India’s approach to free trade agreements. It describes a focus on countries with established economic links to India and economies that complement its strengths in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, services and energy processing.

In payments, Hong Kong has issued its first regulated stablecoin issuer licences. Trade Finance Global reported that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority approved Anchorpoint Financial Limited and HSBC to issue stablecoins in the territory, with the licences taking effect on Friday, 10 April.