Africa News Digest
Iran Radio: Washington Covets African Oil; Plans Increase in Military Presence
Tehran radio quoted statements April 29, by U.S. Gen. Jim Jones, SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander-Europe), that Washington plans to increase its military presence in Africa to protect its interests. An Iranian analyst for the radio's research and commentary group, Mr. Qannadbashi, reviewed what he said were America's motives: "In the wake of Sept. 11 events and the new policies adopted by the Republicans, we witnessed that America intensified efforts to establish presence in the oil-rich regions of Africa. They increased investment in West Africa and, under the pretext of fighting terrorism, staged some maneuvers in East Africa. Since they are now discussing plans to reduce the number of American troops in Europe, we can say that new motives have been created."
The analysis continues: "At present, some sort of discord exists among the NATO members. That is, NATO planned to set up a southern branch, but it seems that the Americans now intend to set up such a branch in North Africa and the southern Mediterranean region, comprising their own forces. In other words, they plan to establish some sort of presence in the Muslim oil-rich regions of North Africa. Of course, they raise the excuse of fresh threats to their interests in Africa. But it is obvious that the Americans are trying to compete with Europe wherever oil and gas resources exist. For instance, Algeria and Libya possess the largest resources of these two commodities in North Africa."
Rebels Seize 60% of Liberia; Calls for U.S. Intervention
Significant players from both inside Liberia and outside the battered west African country are calling for a U.S.-led force to take over the country. Chairman Cyril Allen of Liberia's ruling National Patriotic Party (President Charles Taylor's party), said on May 1 that Liberia needs an intervention force, but he made clear that the U.S. had to take the point: "We are suggesting that there be an international force." Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, head of the Unity Party, Liberia's largest opposition party, who has been in Washington this past week, is quoted by allAfrica: "The United States is looked on as the one to take the lead in resolving the Liberian problems, as the U.K. did in Sierra Leone, and France is doing in Cote d'Ivoire."
Rebels in Liberia have now seized 60% of the country, including most of its diamond-mining areas.
On April 30, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) that functions as a tool for the Anglo-Americans, issued a study calling for the U.S. to move in to stop what will be the equivalent of the Central Africa crisis in West Africa. The ICG report, released April 30, is titled, "Tackling Liberia: the eye of the regional storm." The ICG insisted that Liberia and related west African countries "can no longer be treated as individual countries," as "conflicts in the Mano River Union (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) and Ivory Coast are now so interwoven that they cannot be treated separately." The ICG says there must be an "internationally assistedor depending on circumstancesadministered interim government in Liberia." Notes ICG's West Africa Project Director Comfort Ero: The key mechanism is the International Contact Group, established in Sept. 2002. And the central players are the U.S., U.K., and France. But the U.S. must take the point, he says.
Alleged al-Qaeda diamond operations in West Africa were discussed at a Johannesburg meeting of 10 countries which ended April 30, on "conflict diamonds"another matter that will lend support to some U.S. initiative in the Mano River Union area. At this confab, Alex Yearsley, the lead campaigner for Global Witness, an Anglo-American watchdog group especially interested raw materials, released information about what were said to be al-Qaeda operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Yearsley claimed that al-Qaeda expanded its operations by moving into Sierra Leone and Liberia in the late 1990s, and by 2000-01 had a large-scale diamond laundering operation. The Global Witness official said, from the agency's new report, "For a Few Dollars More," that "the current regime in neighboring Liberia enabled these diamond-trading networks to be utilized by al-Qaeda." Yearsley said it is now uncertain how much money al-Qaeda is raising from diamonds, but that there are not enough controls to ensure against it, especially in Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
African Oil Sends Cape Town Businessmen to Houston
A strong delegation of Cape Town, South Africa businessmen is headed for Houston, Texas to bid for contracts to service the booming West African oil industry, the Johannesburg Business Day reported April 22. Apart from the 15 businessmen and industrialists joining the delegation, there will be five delegates from the National Ports Authority, and delegates from Cape Province, the City of Cape Town and the South African Department of Trade and Industry.
The focus of the delegation will be the Offshore Technology Convention. The oil industry is moving closer to Cape Town as both exploration and production in the Angola oil fields in increasing by leaps and bounds. At present, Angola produces nearly 1 million barrels a day, but this figure is expected to double in the next few years.
The delegation's message is that Cape Town and Saldanha harbors are well placed to service the drilling rigs and floating production platforms operating off the west coast of Africa. In addition, South Africa has the engineering expertise and other necessary resources. Cape Town is already servicing oil rigs and service vessels and it was estimated last year that the oil fields off West Africa were sustaining about 5,000 jobs in South Africa.
The industry is driven by the Americans who are investing billions of dollars each year in exploration and development of the oil fields.
Most of the oilmen's supplies are being flown in from the U.S. and Europe at great expense.
Chris Nissen, president of the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Chamber and Industry, said that South Africa's own oil and gas industry could be moving to the country's west coast, where major discoveries of natural gas have been made.
IMF/World Bank To Operate Oil-for-Debt in West African Nation
The World Bank and International Monetary Fund will control the funds generated by offshore oil exploration and production in Sao Tome and Principe, Comtex reported April 11. The IMF's approach is that the country owes its debts to the international banks, so the Fund will control the funds generated by the oil industry, and take its share off the top. A joint team from the IMF and World Bank was in Sao Tome the second week of April.
Sao Tome and Principe is a small oil-rich country consisting of two islands off the coast of Gabon in West Central Africa. One of the world's poorest countries, it has a foreign debt of about 300 million euros, and has submitted itself to a structural adjustment program coordinated by the IMF and World Bank. Oil revenues are expected to start flowing into the micro-state's coffers later this year from the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) set up with Nigeria to exploit resources in the Gulf of Guinea.
Malaysia Seeks Strategic Oil/Gas Position in North Africa
Malaysia's Petronas is acquiring major oil and gas assets in northern Africa, in a US$1.76 billion deal that would not only give it a significant foothold in the Atlantic Basin liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, but also boost its status as a major player in the global LNG industry.
This deal is by far the biggest Malaysian overseas investment ever. The aggressive move is in line with Petronas' strategy to invest in strategic areas worldwide. In a statement yesterday, Petronas said it had signed an agreement to acquire a 50% working interest in, and joint operatorship of, the West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) concession, offshore Egypt.
The Petronas LNG Complex in Bintulu is set to become the single largest LNG production facility in the world with a combined capacity of 23 million tons per annum by October 2003. Through its subsidiary, Malaysia International Shipping Corp Bhd, Petronas is also the world's largest owner and operator of an LNG fleet, with 15 tankers currently in operation and six more under construction.
In a complementary development, Petronas and PetroChina, in consultation with Indonesia's Pertamina, have agreed to a 50:50 joint venture to acquire Amerada Hess Indonesia Holdings Ltd. (AHIH) for US$164 million. "The joint acquisition signifies Petronas' long-term commitment to continuously invest in and actively pursue commercial opportunities in Indonesia," Petronas said.
Mbeki: Afrikaner Professionals Need To Reconstruct South Africa
Reversing the trend of past years, South African President Thabo Mbeki insisted this week that the skills of Afrikaner professionals (that is, South African whites of Dutch/Boer descent) are greatly needed to assist in the reconstruction of the country. "We know there are many professionals among minority groups, especially Afrikaners, who want to take up this challenge," he said, noting that the country desperately needs their skills. Mbeki was speaking at the presentation of a joint declaration by the African National Congress and the New National Party in response to the final Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report released this month.
NNP leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk said that due to the completion of the TRC report, it was important for South Africans to realize they had become stronger and more united as a nation. "Our relations were characterized by mistrust, bloodshed, and appalling human-rights records. It is through political will by the two organizations that this perspective has changed for the better." Van Schalkwyk said all South Africans were enjoying equal privileges and minority groups did not need to feel marginalized. "We need not to walk away, and rather, bring all the required expertise to the table for the betterment of the country."
The declaration signed by the two sides said that although "much remains to be done further nurture the emerging spirits," the country has become a model for reconciliation among competing groups in a previously divided society. The British-allied opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said through its spokesman Douglas Gibson, that the NNP and the ANC deserved each other.
British Labourite Suggests Commonwealth Army Be Sent to Zimbabwe
"With Blair suggesting in private that he would dearly love to see Mugabe overthrown," one Labour MP suggested this week that a Commonwealth army should be sent into Zimbabwe, according to the Mail & Guardian online April 29. "Why can't there be a Commonwealth military force?" Derek Wyatt, the Labour MP for Sittingbourne, asked. "We can go into Iraq, we can go into Kosovo. But where there are 7.5 million people being deliberately starved to death, we do nothing."
Glenys Kinnock, the Labour MP who recently published a pamphlet outlining the "gangsterism" of the Mugabe regime, believes the European Union should tighten its sanctions. But some MPs and ministers believe that Downing Street should do more. MPs and ministers claim that to accomplish their aims, pressure has to be put on South African President Thabo Mbeki.
Zimbabwe Government Denies 'Exit Strategy' for Mugabe
The Zimbabwe government has denied widespread reports in recent days that President Robert Mugabe is preparing an "exit plan" for himself now that his major remaining task, that of land reform, is essentially in place. "All the President did in the recent interview marking the 23rd anniversary of independence, was to invite national debate on a range of national questions including that of succession," the Department of Information and Publicity said April 28. It said that reports of a supposed "exit plan" have largely been inspired and originated by the British-linked news outlets in defense of white interests in southern Africa. The Department dismissed reportsas has President Mbekithat Presidents Mbeki, Obasanjo of Nigeria, and Bakili Muluzi of Malawi would visit to the country to work out President Mugabe's "exit plan."
In an 11-page interview with Zimbabwe's wire service April 24, President Mugabe reiterated an understanding of economics based on real production, which he contrasted to the way Britain has historically operated, and insisted that Zimbabwe must be primarily an agricultural nation. "What does Britain produce by way of resources? You talk of English tea, where do they produce the tea at all? We produce the teaTanganyika, Tanzania, Kenya, India, etc.... And so, you see, these countries have a long history of developing their economies using, as I said, illicit means, actually.... We are mainly an agricultural country and as an agricultural country we should emphasize agriculture as the mainstay of our economy."
U.S., EU Pressure Nigeria To Move Toward Government of National Unity
"A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the EU and the U.S. had been having private meetings with Nigerian government officials, trying to persuade them to give up some of their power to opposition parties," Reuters reported April 23. The wire service also quoted Information Minister Jerry Gana: "If the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria considers that sharing power is the thing to move the country forward, we will do it, not at the instigation of the European Union or United States."
A written statement issued by U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher on April 24 says, "The U.S. congratulates the overwhelming majority of the Nigerian people for what was a peaceful exercise of their right to vote in many parts of the country.... [M]onitors have reported that in some states they witnessed widespread voting irregularities, as well as procedural flaws.... We call on all parties to resolve differences through peaceful, legal means." The statement pointedly did not congratulate President Olusegun Obasanjo on his re-election.
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