Somalia challenges Kenya over oil blocks

[walaalkis]

 

 

Fri Jul 6, 2012 10:14am EDT

 

* Offshore blocks located in disputed seas

 

* Border row threatens exploration in new hotspot

 

* Kenya's plans to extend continental shelf stalled

 

By Kelly Gilblom

 

NAIROBI, July 6 (Reuters) - Somalia's government accused Kenya on Friday of awarding offshore oil and gas exploration blocks illegally to multinationals Total and Eni because the concessions lie in waters claimed by Somalia.

 

The spat between Kenya and its war-ruined neighbour could complicate the hunt for resources along a part of the East African coastline, rapidly emerging as one of the world's hottest oil exploration prospects.

 

Somalia's deputy energy minister, Abdullahi Dool, said contracts awarded for four blocks in deep waters were invalid and the government planned to complain to the United Nations, which oversees maritime border laws.

 

"We are concerned about the lease of blocks," Dool told Reuters. "I am sure we will lodge complaints."

 

The blocks are among seven awarded by Kenya last week, three of them to Italy's Eni and one to France's Total .

 

They lie in an area long contested by Kenya, East Africa's biggest economy, and Somalia, wrecked by more than two decades of civil war, split between an interim government and Islamist rebels and serving as the main base for Indian Ocean pirates.

 

Kenya rejected the accusation that ownership of the blocks was contested and said there was no need to hold up exploration.

 

Kenya's first major oil discovery in March has raised expectations of more to come.

 

"Saying these are not Kenyan blocks is like saying we don't have a full-fledged government, like we are a banana republic," petroleum commissioner Martin Heya said.

 

An Eni spokesman said the company would not comment on the challenge to its rights to blocks L21, L23 and L24. Total, awarded block 122, did not respond to requests for comment.

 

Kenya says the maritime boundary, over which there is no formal agreement, should run due east from the point at which the land border meets the coast, like the maritime boundaries of other countries along the coast.

 

Somalia says the boundary should extend perpendicular to the coastline, giving it a big chunk of the waters claimed by Kenya.

 

The dispute mirrors those in other parts of Africa where resources straddle boundaries that were first drawn only vaguely by colonial era map makers.

 

Kenya and Somalia signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009 that the border would run east along the line of latitude, but Somalia, which has lacked an effective central government since 1991, then rejected the agreement in parliament.

 

The quarrel over the oil blocks strains otherwise close ties between Kenya and the Somali government. In fact, Kenya sent troops into Somalia last year to hunt down the Islamist al Shabaab rebels who control swathes of the country.

 

Joshua Brien, a legal adviser with the Commonwealth Secretariat who is advising Kenya on the matter, said no legal boundary can be established until both governments sign a U.N.-approved agreement or move the issue to an international court.

 

"It's not impossible they could come to a resolution, but the situation in Somalia is so uncertain," Brien told Reuters by phone from London.

 

An added frustration for Kenya is that it cannot extend its claim to the continental shelf beyond its 200 nautical miles (370 km) of territorial waters until the border spat is resolved. That holds up the award of more exploration licenses. (Editing by Richard Lough and Matthew Tostevin)

Sounds interesting , could it be true ?

[walaalkis]

Dowladda KMG ah ee Soomaaliya ayaa ka war heshay qorshe Dowladda Kenya ku damacsan tahay inay shidala uga qodato xeebta Koofureed ee Soomaaliya, iyadoo Kenya ay heshiis ku siisay labo shirkadood inay ceelal shidaal ah ka qodaan, Xeebta Koofureed ee soohdinta Kenya iyo Soomaaliya, kaasoo in dhawaalaba muran ka taagnaa.

 

Wasiir kuxigeenka Tamarta iyo Shidaalka C/llaahi Dool ayaa u sheegay Wakaalada Wararka ee Reuters inay cambaareynayaan isku day ay Kenya ku damacsan tahay inay shidaal uga soo saarto Xeebta Koofureed.

 

"Waxaan ashtako ka dhan ah Kenya u gudbineynaa Qaramada Midoobey, waana sharci daro in meelo badda Soomaaliya ka mid ah inay shidaal ka qodato"ayuu yiri Wasiir kuxigeenka oo intaa ku daray in Kenya ku xadgudbeyso qaranimada Soomaaliya.

 

Kenya oo sheeganeysa lahaanshaha xeebta Koofureed ayaa waxaa xilligii Xukuumadii Cumar C/rashiid ay la saxiixatay heshiis is faham ahaa oo ku aadanaa xadeynta badda, taasoo markii dambe uu Baarlamaanka laalay.

 

Dhul xeebeedka Kenya ay dooneyso inay kala wareegto Soomaaliya ayaa lagu tilmaamaa inuu yahay mid ka mid ah goobaha ugu muhiimsan ee uu dhex ceegaago shidaal ceyriin ah, iyadoo Kenya ay heshiisyo ku siisay inay shidaal ka qodo Shirkadaha caanka ah ee Total iyo Eni ee laga leeyahay dalalka Faransiiska iyo Talyaaniga.

 

Qorshaha shidaal qodista Kenya iyo shirkadaha qandaraaska lagu siinayo ayaa bilowday todobaadki la soo dhaafay marki ay Kenya 7 meelood u ogolaatay laba shirkadood in ay shaqo ka bilaabaan, 3 ka mid ah waxaa la siiyey shirkada Eni ee dalka Talyaaniga halka mid kalana loo saxiixay shirkada Total ee dalka France.

 

Dowladaha Faransiiska iyo Norway ayaa horay ugu garabsiineysa in Kenya la wareegto qeyb ka mid ah Badda Soomaaliya, si ay shidaal uga soo saarato, waxaana arrintan si aad ah horay uga gil gishay shacabka Soomaaliyed oo aad u diidanaa.

 

Xilligan oo Kenya kumanaan ciidamadeeda ka joogaan Koofurta Soomaaliya ayaa suurta galnimada iyo shakiga laga qabo inay dhabowdo damaceedii ku aadanaa in shidaal ka soo saarato xeebta Koofureed ayaa ah mid muuqata.

[The-freeman]

Finally, a nationalist among thieves! I await how this develops.

[burahadeer]

even kenya acting the white shark.......aduunyo:mad:

[Nin-Yaaban]

Lacagta hadii ey wax nagasiinayaan waa wax lagartay, hadii kale maxkamada aduunka ayaan isku ark doonaa.

[Haatu]

Why do you think the Kenyans want to capture Jubbooyinka and most of all Kismaayo? To prevent Islamists from dominating the area? To restore peace to Somalia? Why now? Kenya has lived with anarchic Somalia for close to 20 years, why care now? Their soldiers are there to ensure that this exploration can take place as smoothly as possible and to prevent Somalia from defending its waters militarily. Remember that Kismayo used to be the HQ for our navy. They want to add our oceans to their portfolio of stolen and occupied lands.