United Rusal : UC RUSAL announces the opening of a new, one-of-a-kind laboratory for combatting highly infectious diseases as part of its hospital in Guinea

Conakry, 15 February 2017 - UC RUSAL (SEHK: 486; Euronext: RUSAL/RUAL; Moscow Exchange: RUAL/RUALR), a leading global aluminium producer, announces the establishment of modern laboratory facilities in Guinea, which are designed to ensure a high degree of security when performing laboratory research (Biosafety Level 3 according to international classification).

Head of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor), Anna Popova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Special Representative of the Russian President for the Middle East and Africa, Mikhail Bogdanov, and Director of RUSAL's Alumina Division, Yakov Itskov, travelled to Guinea for the official opening of the laboratory facilities, which will be held later today. The President of Guinea, Alpha Condé, is also expected to attend.

The laboratory, in cooperation with Rospotrebnadzor and its research units, was established as a part of The Centre for Epidemic and Microbiological Research and Treatment (CEMRT), which was built by RUSAL in 2015 to fight the Ebola epidemic in Guinea. RUSAL's investments in the construction of the Centre amounted to more than USD 10 mln.

Within the framework of the public-private partnership between RUSAL and Rospotrebnadzor, part of the structure of CEMRT was redeveloped as an in-patient laboratory complex, making it possible to conduct laboratory tests in stationary conditions with a high level of security. RUSAL completed the work on redevelopment of the premises in the shortest possible term and in accordance with all international sanitary and epidemiological standards and recommendations made by Rospotrebnadzor's top engineers. RUSAL has also provided support for the delivery and installation of high-precision equipment designed for the lab, with a total weight of more than 50 tonnes.

In the near future, the laboratory, established on the premises of CEMRT in conjunction with the Institute of Biological Research of Guinea (IRBAG, Kindia), will become a part of the Russian-Guinean Research Centre of Epidemiology and Prevention of Infectious Diseases. This centre will be unparalleled in the region of West Africa in terms of its application of high technology and its system of biosecurity. This new lab will make it possible to expeditiously carry out diagnostics of particularly dangerous infections, which will propel the national system of health security in the Republic of Guinea to a whole new level.

'RUSAL, having achieved positive results in the fight against the Ebola virus in Guinea, continues to take an active part in improving the level of health care in the country. The opening of the new laboratory with the state-of-the-art equipment will prevent the spread of diseases that threaten the lives of local population,' said RUSAL's CEO, Vladislav Soloviev.

In April 2014, in the midst of the Ebola epidemic, RUSAL, which was one of the first foreign companies in Guinea, purchased and delivered a batch of medicines and sanitation resources to the Republic's Ministry of Health. Since August 2014, RUSAL has been providing financial and logistical support for the activities of Rospotrebnadzor's special anti-epidemic brigade, which was sent to Guinea.

As a part of the mandate of the private-public partnership, RUSAL organised research and training seminars in Guinea featuring leading Russian scientists: Viktor Maleev, a member of the Academy of Sciences of Russia, and Professor Konstantin Zhdanov (Ministry of Defence, Russia), and also facilitated the participation of Russian representatives in international scientific forums (Malabe, Conakry, Kindia, Moscow, Geneva).

RUSAL has been working in the Republic of Guinea since 2001, and is one of the largest foreign investors in the country. In Guinea, RUSAL owns Compagnie des Bauxites de Kindia (CBK), as well as the Friguia Bauxite and Alumina Complex. In addition, RUSAL continues to implement a project to develop the world's largest Dian-Dian bauxite deposit in the Boke region. The total confirmed reserves at the Dian-Dian deposit amount to 564 mln tonnes.