Gold Exploration in West Africa

[FL]

SEMAFO’S BOARD FORMS SPECIAL COMMITTEE [FL questions]
WHICH APPOINTS WESTWIND AS FINANCIAL ADVISOR

[ My questions:
1. What is exactly is "Westwind Parters" ( http://www.westwindpartners.ca/ ) being paid to do for Semafo?
2. Is Managem (Semafo's majority owner, in turn controlled by the royal family of Morocco) bailing out of Semafo, or taking over all of Semafo, or what?
3. Is Westwind supposed to be helping Semafo "adversely" to Semafo's majority owner Managem? FL ]

Montreal, Quebec, June 9, 2005 – SEMAFO INC. (TSX: SMF) announces that following the hiring, by its majority shareholder MANAGEM S.A., of a financial advisor that has for assignment to seek and review MANAGEM’s alternatives with respect to its investment in SEMAFO, the Board of Directors of SEMAFO has formed a Special Committee. The mandate of the Special Committee consists in receiving and examining all proposed transactions that might be presented to SEMAFO by MANAGEM, and to set out recommendations to the Board of Directors in connection therewith. SEMAFO’s Lead Director, Mr. Jean Lamarre, acts as Chairman of the Special Committee, and all the members thereof are independent, unrelated and external directors of SEMAFO.

For its part, the Special Committee has appointed Westwind Partners Inc. to assist it in such task and to provide it with related financial services. The Board of Directors, the Special Committee and Westwind are committed to work with a view to serve the best interests of SEMAFO and of its shareholders. The common shares of Semafo are traded on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “SMF”.

[ Pro-forma statement on forward-looking statements omitted ]

Semafo is a mining company whose mission is to explore, develop and mine major gold deposits in West Africa. Semafo currently operates the Kiniero mine in Guinea and the Samira Hill mine in Niger.

For more information contact:
MONTREAL :
Benoit La Salle,
Chief Executive Officer
Tel : [phone]
E-Mail : [e-mail]
MONTREAL :
Michel Cormier
Geological Engineer, Qualified Person
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
RENMARK :
Tina Cameron
Tel : [phone]
E-Mail : [e-mail]
More extensive information on Semafo can be found on our home page at http://www.semafo.com
NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENT OF THIS RELEASE