MOGADISHU (AFP) – Somalia’s government signed an oil and gas exploration deal on Tuesday with a British company chaired by a former leader of Britain’s Conservative party, ministry and company officials said.
Soma Oil and Gas, chaired by Michael Howard, a former home secretary who preceded Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron as Tory party leader, signed the deal to carry out offshore and onshore surveys.
War-torn Somalia is fought over by multiple warlords, clan militia forces and Islamist insurgents while several autonomous regions do not obey the authority of central government.
The Horn of Africa nation is challenging territory for even the most adventurous of oil companies.
“It is expected that this will attract further investment and facilitate exploration in an area of immense economic potential for the nation,” Somalia’s Ministry of National Resources said in a statement.
“The company will conduct seismic surveying to assist the development of Somalia’s hydrocarbons sector,” the statement added.
It is the first oil deal signed by the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu, which took power last September, and is propped up by a 17,700-strong African Union force to fight off Al-Qaeda backed insurgents.
Several of Somalia’s potentially rich oil and gas blocs are claimed by rival companies, because deals were signed by the different authorities which emerged in the long years of war that followed the collapse of central government in 1991.
Soma Oil and Gas, which was set up last year with a view to carrying out exploration in Somalia, will “conduct seismic surveying in Somalia’s territorial waters in areas agreed with the government and in certain limited onshore areas,” the company said in a statement.
It will also “collate and reprocess historic seismic data using modern techniques” to prepare “an evaluation of Somalia’s petroleum potential”, the company added.
Howard, now a life peer in the House of Lords, parliament’s upper house, said the deal reflected the “close collaboration” between Britain and Somalia.
“It is our intention to assist Somalia to develop an active hydrocarbons sector that will attract significant foreign investment to the country,” Howard said in a statement.
A United Nations Monitoring Group report last month warned that foreign oil exploration could further inflame conflict in the region.
Is this deal in the Jubaland disputed areas? There are too much disputed conflicts
facing the SFG roadmap Signatories treaty. However, Soma Oil and Gas chaired by
MR Michael Howard, should avoid the Somaliland Sovereign State hydrocarbons sectors
both onshore/Offshore, which are off limits to the powers of the SFG. The British UK Govts
and their public/Private worldwide major power players, should avoid meddling with the
Somaliland International demarcation boundaries map along with the SFG map.
Cheers.
I wonder what part of Somalia this deal encompass? As we all know Somali government has no authority over Pirateland let alone Somaliland a nation which is totally independent from Somalia for the last 20+ years.
I don't believe this current oil deal involving a heavy British politician and the weak Somali government is a genuine one. It's for formality purposes only so the West can monitor any Chinese infiltration in the region..that's all..
This is a bogus deal designed to dupe the world in order to embezzle the so-called Somali nation of their resources. SOMA Oil is the 'newest' registered company in the world designed for such robbery. It has no website. It cannot be found on Google. It is not entered in Wikipedia. In a word, SOMA (standing for Somali) is a broker's ploy to skim off some profits to sub-leasees to non-existent fields
That should convince you my friend! Shame on those Somaliland media outlets that took up the propaganda bugle blowing out nothing but hot, dissipating air.
Shame on Michael Howard! The carpetbagger!
How dare he put more oil to the gas! how dare he sign an agreement undermining Somaliland sovereignty – and in this in the wake of the UK Bank's very unpleasant announcement, shocking all Somalis to stupefaction..
There a country called Somalia so whatever deal they sign it's up to them as long as it does not lay claim to Somaliland teritory so don't confuse things folks.
Michael Howard was actually the man who propelled David Cameron and George Osborne to the Conservative leadership. All I can say is that he should employ Ann Widdecombe to keep him in check. I was watching that night when she said her famous words that there is “something of the night about” Michael Howard, lol.
Isn't Howard a Jewish guy, the Jews who were kicked out of Poland like the current Labour leader.
I would love to see how this deal ever takes shape in Zoomalia; Jews and Zoomalis will make wonderful partners.
Somalia's corrupt government has foolishly handed over all its territorial waters to a Co owned by a Indian with British passport, His name is Basil Shiblaq http://companycheck.co.uk/director/900738557 Mr Basil Shiblaq has done some deals in some parts of Western African in the past and He has a long history of corruption and fraud, and as you can see in the following link He was arrested by the Indian police in 2007 by the request of Interpol after the Emirates filed a case against him in London http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/43164/ and to polish his reputation,He resonantly hired Michael Howard, a former home secretary who preceded Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron as Tory party leader as chairmen without any power Mr is the founder,owner and the Executive Director of Soma Oil and Gas Company http://www.somaoilandgas.com/page/board-of-direct… and that's despite that Mr Basil has only around 200 000 pound in combined wealth, His company was registered in April 2013 yet He was awarded with Somalia's all territorial waters if that's is not a stupidity i don't know what its.
This Soma Oil and Gas company have nothing to do with Somaliland. It is from and for Somalia and not for Somaliland.
Guashh we need to change Somaliland to some other name to something uniek and local. It is tirring to explain that Somalia and Somaliland is very different from each other. (Sorry different subject but seriously!)
Very funny really, this is just totally wack! How can anybody fall for this and fill up newspaper pages, internet pages and much more bandwidth over such fictional company.
Michael Howard was in fact the man who propelled David Cameron and George Osborne to the Conservative leadership. All I can say is that he should apply Ann Widdecombe to accumulate him in check. I was watching that night if she said her acclaimed words that there is “something of the night about” Michael Howard, lol.