Support The Moscow Times!

Alrosa Eyes $600M in Eurobonds

LONDON ?€” Diamond producer Alrosa will raise $600 million in capital from external sources in order to finance its $2.6 billion capital-spending plans over 2001 to 2005, company president Vyacheslav Shtyrov said in an interview.

Alrosa, based in the Far Eastern republic of Sakha, controls all of Russia's rough diamond production and is the world's second-largest diamond producer after South Africa's De Beers.

"We will have to borrow about $600 million," said Shtyrov.

"This year, the company is preparing for the [Eurobond] issue, and it will most likely be in the beginning of next year," he said at a Russia investment conference in London.

The company said the first offering would be a $300 million offering up to five years and priced at 75 basis points over Russian debt.

It could be either in euros or dollars.

It expects that net sales will rise from $1.55 billion in 2000 to $1.7 billion in 2001 and $2.05 billion in 2005 aided by an increase in diamond sales, steadily rising prices and an increase in margins.

Shtyrov said talks were still proceeding with De Beers about how much of Alrosa's diamond output was to be sold via the South African company, but noted that Alrosa would seek to increase the amount of diamonds it sells overseas on an independent basis.

Shtyrov said the amount of Alrosa diamonds to be sold by De Beers was still under review by a government committee, but it would not be more than $550 million annually.

"Based on the agreement with De Beers and with other companies, the company [Alrosa] has to create its own international sales structure," Shtyrov said.

Alrosa's investment plans will enable it to increase sales of more valuable cut diamonds to $200 million by 2005.

Alrosa will have reductions from plans to transfer its cradle-to-grave social responsibilities to the Sakha government.

Alrosa's recent expansion into Africa with the purchase of a stake in a diamond-mining venture called Catoca has brought it into the controversial issue of conflict diamonds.

With plans to expand investment there, Shytrov said Alrosa had been involved in talks on halting the spread of conflict diamonds ?€” stones that are used to fund wars, mainly in Africa.

He estimated that 4 percent of the world supply was conflict diamonds.

"Angola is one of the areas of the world where conflict diamonds have come from," Shtyrov said.

He said all of Alrosa's Angolan diamonds were sold with government authentication, and the certification scheme would be extended worldwide.

"These certificates will be issued everywhere, even in Russia," he said.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more