ETHIOPIA INTEREST IN SOMALIA EXPOSED

The Ogaden basin is the area of Ethiopia's largest condensed gas deposit, namely the Caluba and Hilala gas fields.

Caluba gas field is located in the region some 24-Km west of Shilabo town.   According to various world energy reports, Caluba stores over 76 billion cubic meter natural gas and related non-renewable minerals, that can be exploited for both local and international markets.  Shilabo town is about 330 kms distance from the port town of Hobyo – South Mudug.

Presently, Hunt Oil an international Oil Company has concession for petroleum exploration in Ethiopia, although an increasing number of countries are involved in the exploration and survey of petroleum prospects.  Also in the Ogaden Basin, Hunt Oil Company acquired the rights to the Genale River concession, which borders Somalia and Kenya

The Caluba Natural Gas Project, a joint public-private enterprise for which financing has been approved for $130.8 million in which  $74.3 million comes form the International Development Association (IDA), with co-financing from African Development Bank ($27 million) and the Netherlands ($4 million).

http://www.seen.org/db/Dispatch?action-ProjectWidget:28-detail=1

The revenues form the Gas project will be controlled by the Ethiopian government with no benefits foreseen for the social development of the people of Ogaden.  It is well documented that the Ethiopian government has not invested in providing major public services (hospitals, schools and university) in the Ogaden region.  People in this region don’t even have access to acquire licenses for commerce.

The main problem faced by Ethiopia in realizing the commercialization of this project is to find the most viable route to construct a pipeline toward several seaports for export purposes.  Ethiopia’s intention to deploy troops to our country is to seize control of the port towns of Somalia, the closest to the gas field being Hobyo. This is also one of the reasons why the Ethiopian-backed Salebaan clan from Cadaado land-locked region of Galgaduud were fighting to take control of Hobyo port, one of the oldest ports in East Africa.   The port is now in the hands of Sa’ad clan the natives of the town.

The military and arm supply relationship between Mr. Yusuf, Ethiopia and Yemen is connected to the Hunt Oil’s common interest in the 3 countries.  Hunt Oil’s has currently acquired rights to explore the Marib Al Jawf gas fields in Yemen.

The Hunt Oil Co. is one of the most influential companies in the US.   Mr. Ray Lee Hunt, the owner of this company has an estimated net worth of $2.3 billion and he ranked No. 92 on the 2004 “Forbes 400 Richest Americans” list. He recently made contribution to Bush’s campaign and he served as his Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board in 2001.   Mr. Hunt also serves as board member of Halliburton, the world's largest providers of products and services to the entire oil and gas industries.  Moreover, on November 2003, President Bush nominated Hunt Oil Co. executive Jim Oberwetter as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

http://www.saudi-american-forum.org/Newsletters/SAF_Item_Of_Interest_2003_11_18.htm

It is evident that a US intelligence team will back Ethiopian troops when they invade Somalia in order to ensure the planned works of the Caluba oil pipeline project toward Somali ports. 

The interest of Ethiopia is purely economic and has nothing to do with IGAD’s so-called plan to disarm the militia.  The fight for the control of energy sources is the heart of the present war against Islamic people.  It is up to the Somali people to negotiate contracts and seek profit sharing from the Ethiopia’s gas export revenues instead of being occupied and assimilated into the greater (Ethiopian) neo-colonialization policies.

Donna Somala
Donnasomala@yahoo.com