MONROVIA – The last is yet to be heard of the controversial multi-million dollar railway deal between the Liberian government and U.S.-based Ivanhoe Atlantic as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Bronwyn Barnes, has publicly admitted that the deal is less about mineral extraction and more about geopolitical strategy;
The startling admission, made by Ms. Barnes at a recent industry conference held in Australia, casts a critical light on the $1.8 billion Liberty Corridor project, positioning Liberia as a frontline in the high-stakes global competition between the United States and China over critical mineral supply chains.
Ms. Barnes, whose company recently secured a concession to rehabilitate and use Liberia’s railway infrastructure to export high-grade iron ore from neighboring Guinea, stated plainly, “We’re playing geopolitics, rather than mining.”
She disclosed that her meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau in Washington D.C. focused not just on the construction of the Liberty Corridor, but on “the US accessing high-grade iron ore that can be used for defence purposes.”
This revelation elevates the Liberian rail deal from a commercial venture to a strategic national security matter for the United States, signaling Washington’s serious intent to secure reliable supply lines free from Chinese influence.
Underscoring the political nature of the deal, Ms. Barnes was explicit about the company’s commitment to excluding China from its operations: “We don’t have Chinese shareholders. We won’t have Chinese offtake partners.”
She confirmed the high-grade iron ore product would be directed exclusively to Western allies, stating, “This product will be either going to the Middle East, East Europe, or to the US.”
While Ivanhoe Atlantic publicly distances itself from China, critics have pointed to the complicated ownership structure of its founder, Robert Friedland’s associated company, Ivanhoe Mines, which has significant stakes held by Chinese state-linked firms. This raises questions about the true extent of Chinese-linked exposure in the broader corporate ecosystem.
International experts who have been following the controversial deal have said by explicitly framing the deal as a geopolitical tool for a foreign power, the Ivanhoe CEO’s remarks expose the Liberian government to accusations of allowing the nation’s most critical infrastructure to be leveraged in a U.S.-China strategic rivalry.
The geopolitical spotlight comes amidst a domestic lack of transparency surrounding the July 2025 signing of the $1.8 billion deal. The agreement was reportedly inked behind closed doors, prompting outcry from Liberian civil society and lawmakers who demand full disclosure.
The deal also directly challenges the long-standing infrastructure monopoly of rival ArcelorMittal, a multi-national steel company, over the existing Yekepa-Buchanan railway. Critics warn that prematurely breaking this existing agreement for a geopolitically-charged American competitor could destabilize Liberia’s investment climate and jeopardize future economic predictability.
Experts weighing deeper into the deal which has attracted diverse opinions across Liberia’s political landscape, are of the strong conviction that ultimately, the Ivanhoe deal appears to serve American strategic interests in securing mineral supply chains, but it places Liberia’s government in a precarious position, forcing it to navigate complex global rivalries while facing domestic demands for transparency and sovereignty over its national assets.