Iron Chains of Injustice: Holding ArcelorMittal Accountable

Approval of the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) between ArcelorMittal and the Government of Liberia has been officially halted. This decision follows growing pressure from civil society organizations and Liberian citizens who are demanding a full, transparent investigation into ArcelorMittal’s repeated non-compliance with the terms of the agreement. The halt signals a turning point in Liberia’s pursuit of corporate accountability and ethical governance. The allegations are grave and far-reaching. ArcelorMittal is accused of fraud and financial misconduct, labor and human rights violations, sex trafficking and exploitation, environmental pollution, and systemic unethical business practices. These claims are not isolated incidents — they reflect a pattern of abuse that has eroded public trust and inflicted deep harm on communities across Liberia. Survivors and advocates are now demanding that these violations be addressed with urgency and integrity. This moment marks a critical jun...

  ArcelorMittal’s calculated financial evasion is more than a breach of transparency; a gross violation of Liberia’s Mineral Development Agreement (MDA); and a direct denial of the nation’s rightful share. By refusing to declare its full $5 billion profit, AML has withheld approximately $1.5 billion owed to Liberia. This is not partnership. It is corporate dishonesty at scale and unethical conduct that erodes public trust, distorts national development, exploits vulnerable communities, and compromises the integrity of our institutions. How does a sovereign nation forfeit $1.5 billion in lawful profit, then turn to the International Monetary Fund for loans? These loans come with strict conditions including budget cuts, subsidy removals, and austerity measures that disproportionately harm the poor. Liberia is now borrowing what it should already own. This contradiction which reveals a system where silence enables exploitation and where the cost of inaction is borne by the most vuln...

Michiel Van Der Merwe, Chief Executive Officer, ArcelorMittal, Liberia   Allegations of sex trafficking at ArcelorMittal’s Yekepa concession in Liberia have ignited a storm of outrage, as whistleblowers and victims begin to speak out. Behind the gleaming promises of industrial expansion lies a darker reality—one where vulnerable individuals, including children, are reportedly being exploited in the shadows of corporate infrastructure. The mining site, once hailed as a beacon of economic growth, now stands accused of harboring systemic abuse. The Government of Liberia faces mounting pressure to act. Civil society groups, survivor advocates, and international observers are demanding a full investigation into the alleged trafficking and labor violations linked to ArcelorMittal Liberia. Yet despite the gravity of these claims, official accountability remains elusive. Victims continue to suffer in silence while corporate and governmental actors deflect responsibility. The 2025 U.S. Traf...

  While other billionaires channel their wealth into vaccines, education, and innovation to uplift the world’s poorest, the Mittal family stands accused of a darker legacy—one not of empowerment, but of erasure. In Liberia, a blind victim’s belongings were bulldozed in the concession area controlled by ArcelorMittal. This was no logistical oversight. It was a symbolic act of disregard—a violent dismissal of human dignity by a corporation that claims global leadership while trampling the very lives it has harmed. The destruction of personal property—especially that of a disabled survivor—is not just a physical violation. It is a moral one. These belongings were not debris; they were memory, evidence, and identity. To bulldoze them is to bulldoze truth. It is corporate cruelty dressed in steel profits—a chilling reminder that in the pursuit of industrial dominance, some lives are deemed disposable. The Mittals are not just trashing objects—they are desecrating dignity, silencing test...

ArcelorMittal Liberia has staged a masterclass in corporate deflection. Their recent Environmental , Social, and Governance  (ESG) Council review meeting was not a step toward accountability—it was a performance crafted for optics. The question isn’t whether ESG standards are being met, but whether meaningful standards even exist in Liberia. When a company facing lawsuits, survivor-led petitions, and documented human rights abuses hosts its own review, the public must ask: who is this for, and what is being reviewed? The composition of ArcelorMittal’s ESG Council reveals the flaw at its core. Staffed primarily by internal employees, the council functions as a mechanism of self-certification. This is not oversight—it’s a closed loop of corporate affirmation. It’s grading your own exam and calling it transparency. Without independent voices, survivor testimony, or third-party audits, the council becomes an echo chamber that protects reputation rather than people. ESG must be more tha...

 By Ann-Dora Gbormie, Founder, CorporateWatch Liberia ArcelorMittal built its empire on steel—but its foundation is cracking under the weight of truth. For years, it operated behind closed doors, hiding labor abuses, environmental destruction, and human suffering. But the silence is broken. From Liberia to France, Mexico to the global financial markets, the company is facing a reckoning it can no longer outrun. This is not a PR crisis. It is a collapse of credibility. And it is being driven by survivors, communities, and advocates who refuse to be erased. This erosion is now bleeding into the financial markets. Despite reporting $1.9 billion in EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) for Q2 2025, ArcelorMittal’s stock dipped 4.65% in pre-market trading. Investors are no longer swayed by one-time gains or strategic acquisitions. They are watching the company’s ballooning debt—now at $8.3 billion—and its negative free cash flow of $800 million. Reput...