Gold and copper explorer and developer Kefi Gold and Copper has reached a positive resolution to the recent security situation at the company's Tulu Kapi gold project, in Ethiopia.

The resolution follows security issues that arose during September, which led security authorities to request a suspension of site inspections and community consultations, and to Kefi and the project company, Tulu Kapi Gold Mines (TKGM), temporarily pausing the finance finalisation and launch of the project to ensure these matters could be satisfactorily addressed.

The particular company-specific issue, that can only now be reported following their safe release on October 23, was the abduction of four TKGM employees and contractors, captured during inspections of traffic routes for the project, the company reported in an update to shareholders on October 25.

These employees and contractors were released safe, unharmed and without any conditions, Kefi confirmed.

The incident reinforces the importance of safety for all stakeholders involved in the project, the community, TKGM and its employees and contractors, the international financiers and other parties committed to the safety and success of the Tulu Kapi project, the company added.

So as to waste no time in re-initiating the project launch, TKGM has already arranged for the independent community liaison and field-safety advisers to attend planning workshops next month to update the necessary steps for the project's launch with all the government agencies involved.

The company has remained eager to proceed with the project as soon as possible, while also meeting the requirements to comply with appropriate security and other standards, which it has, mking it confident of preventing a recurrence of such an incident.

To this end, other preparations, such as legal documentation, have wherever unaffected by this incident, continued unabated.

With the localised security issue now resolved and having been subsequently fully disclosed when it became safe to do so, the company says it looks forward to working with the Ministry of Mines to ensure it is satisfied in all respects.