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EU energy strategy focuses Russia, China
Gulf Times
European Union efforts to secure stable oil and gas supplies must include the negotiation of an energy pact with Russia and talks with China on reining in runaway energy consumption, top EU officials said on Friday.
A report drawn up by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the bloc’s external relations commissioner and Javier Solana, EU foreign and security policy chief, said the energy-hungry 25-nation bloc must work on an array of diplomatic fronts to meet its growing needs.
“Increasing dependence on energy imports from unstable regions and suppliers presents a serious risk,” the paper warned.
“Some major producers and consumers have been using energy as a political lever,” the paper cautioned. In addition, most countries were also unwilling to play by free-market rules, it said.
The strategy document, set to be endorsed by EU leaders at summit talks in Brussels in mid-June, said the bloc must try and clinch an energy co-operation agreement with Moscow.
(4 Jun 2006)
The Great Game in Somalia
Abid Mustafa, Media Monitors Network
“The chances of US success depend upon how she is able to counter threats from other powers. In Sudan countries like France, Britain, China and Russia have made it complicated for America to realise her goal and in Somalia this too may prove to be difficult.”
The recent upsurge in fighting between the various factions in Somalia is a typical example of wars being fought throughout the African continent where the real benefactor is neither the people nor local governments, but major powers. Somalia is another country that has been caught up in a vicious struggle between great powers competing against each other to control the Horn of Africa.
The reason for this interference in Somalia’s internal affairs is simple. Somalia is replete with abundance of natural resources. Uranium deposits, oil and natural gas can be found in Somalia. Oil seeps were discovered in the colonial era by both British and Italian geologists. Later, French and American oil companies competed with British and Italian oil companies for concession rights to the exploration of oil. In the years to follow Somalia became a battle ground between Europe and America for the right to control Somalia’s oil wealth. Europe led by Britain fought America through supporting local militias and surrogate countries like Kenya, Uganda and Djibouti, while America supported her militiamen through countries like Ethiopia and Sudan. The power struggle between Europe and America contributed to decades of civil war, secessionist movements and break away states.
(3 Jun 2006)
AMERICAN THEOCRACY: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century by Kevin Phillips
reviewd by Joseph Dancy, Financial Sense Online
Phillips does a masterful job at tracing the history of politics and the global petroleum industry over the last century and the major issues the U.S. will face as crude oil becomes more difficult to produce in the quantities needed to feed the global economy.
…
Overall, the book is a very interesting and well written analysis of trends in the U.S. and global economy. The critical issues the U.S. and global economies face with regard to reliable energy supplies will be a theme that resonates with our children, and our children’s children.
(4 Jun 2006)
Nigeria’s oil delta faces escalation of violence
Estelle Shirbon, Reuters
Gunmen storm an oil rig 40 miles offshore in the dead of night and capture eight foreign workers. Hostages are held in remote creeks for 38 days. Militants use mobile phones to blow up a car bomb at an army barracks.
Before this year, none of this had happened in the troubled history of the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria, home to Africa’s biggest oil industry. And analysts say the violence will get worse — not least because of the government’s response.
Already, the toll is heavy. An unknown number of people have been killed in militant attacks on oil facilities and in retaliatory army raids on riverine villages. And a quarter of Nigerian oil output has been shut down since February, threatening economic growth in Africa’s most populous country.
The past five months have not been the bloodiest the region has known, nor the most devastating in terms of cuts in oil production. But security analysts worry about the increasingly ruthless and sophisticated tactics of local armed groups.
(5 Jun 2006)
The Resource Curse: The Pumping and Plundering of West African Oil
Mark Sommer, The Mainstream Media Project
Parts of West Africa sit atop vast oil reserves. You’d think that oil translates into wealth. Why then do we see the discovery and extraction of oil increasing poverty and inequity? Why does so little of the wealth seep down to those who live in the oil rich regions? Join us for a hard look at oil extraction in the Niger Delta and Chad.
55 minute mp3 stream (works on dial-up): audio.aworldofpossibilities.com/audio/bassey_gary24kb0530.m3u
Or download:
audio.aworldofpossibilities.com/audio/bassey_gary24kb0530.mp3
Guests: Nnimmo Bassey, Ian Gary, David Ugolor, Emira Woods
(30 May 2006)
