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Since the announcement of the creation of AFRICOM, the new military command post in Africa by the United States, the Liberian government has been pressing for the establishment of Africom's headquarters in the country.
There had been behind the scene discussions within official circles on the issue. Until Wednesday, the Liberian government had not made a decision.
Now, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has made a decision officially 'offering' Liberian territory to be used for the establishment of a U.S. Base.
Speaking Wednesday at a reception marking the 231st Independence Anniversary of the United States, President Sirleaf said "Liberia, the U.S. historic ally, has stood resolutely with the United States, through good times and bad, and is offering its territory as it has done in the past, for the establishment of AFRICOM headquarters."
The Chief Executive indicated that historical and strategic reasons make Liberia an ideal location for this important American initiative that will undoubtedly have a most beneficial effect on the West African sub-region, as well as the entire continent.
President Sirleaf welcomed the new United States policy towards Africa's security and development as reflected in the proposed establishment of a new Africa Command (AFRICOM).
The Liberian leader described the move as not only a project of U.S. interest and power, but as a new approach to assisting African countries that are committed to democratic governance, sustainable development and improving the quality of life of their people, in a secured environment, and with the cooperation and support of the United States.
President Johnson-Sirleaf also described the United States decision to construct a new Embassy complex in Monrovia and as well as other significant support Liberia receives from institutions, foundations, Universities and individuals as vivid expressions and indications of the new mutually beneficial partnership that is beginning to evolve between Liberia and the United States of America.
The Liberian leader also made particular reference to the financial support being given by the United States government towards the country's development.
President Sirleaf then lauded the U.S. government's support toward debt relief and disclosed that Liberia will shortly benefit from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation for development assistance, having met most of the benchmarks.
The President congratulated the government and people of the United States on the occasion marking the 231st independence anniversary, and spoke highly of the partnership existing between the two countries.
President Johnson Sirleaf lauded the United States government for its role in ending the civil conflict in Liberia and its continued support toward the country's reconstruction efforts.
In a recent article written by President Johnson Sirleaf and posted on allafrica.com website, the Liberian leader said Africom should be seen as a recognition of the growing importance of Africa to U.S. national security interests, as well as recognition that long time African security lies in empowering African partners to develop healthy security relations.
The Rest @ All Africa.com
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Libya's Tamoil is offered more Equity by Uganda
East African (Nairobi)
3 July 2007
Posted to the web 3 July 2007
Daniel Kalinaki
Nairobi
The Ugandan government has secretly been planning to cede more control of the Eldoret-Kampala Oil Pipeline it is building in partnership with the Kenyan government, to the project developers, Tamoil of Libya, The EastAfrican can now reveal.
Under the original plan, the private developer was expected to take up 51 per cent of the project while the two governments, splitting the 49 per cent, would take 24.5 per cent each. Tamoil signed a preliminary agreement with the governments in late January in Kampala allowing it to put the necessary facilities in place over six months before a final agreement is signed.
The project was expected to cost $78.2 million, 70 per cent of which was to be debt by all three parties, with the rest coming in the form of equity contributions. This meant that each of the two governments would have to pay about $5.8 million in equity contributions.
However, The EastAfrican has now learnt that the Permanent Secretary in Uganda's Energy Ministry, Fredrick Kabagambe-Kaliisa, wrote to Tamoil in April and revealed that Uganda was not in a position to finance its equity contribution to the project. In the same letter, the Ugandan official invited Tamoil to take up a greater percentage of the equity in the project.
Under the terms of the project - which Uganda and Kenya have worked on since 1994 - Kenya would also be forced to cede more equity to Tamoil if Uganda's offer were taken up, as both governments must have an equal share in the project.
More significantly, Uganda, a landlocked country that imports virtually all its petroleum products through Kenya, would have handed over complete control of a strategic national asset to a private firm.
It is not clear what Uganda's official position is on the strategic value and control of the pipeline. Asked to comment about the letter offering to cede more equity to Tamoil, Energy Minister Daudi Migereko denied the contents and spirit of his permanent secretary's letter.
"It is not true," Mr Migereko told The EastAfrican. "The government is taking up its equity; we are only discussing the terms under which to do so. We are talking about having a carried interest in the negotiations? We are going to have a stake in that project."
Ben Twodo, a commissioner in the ministry who was closely involved in the negotiations over the project, said he did not know of any transfer of equity but added that any such transfer would be within the confines of the agreement.
"Our language was never that the private developer would take 50 per cent," he told The EastAfrican. "Our language was that the private developer would take at least 51 per cent, meaning it could be more; and then we said that the two governments would take up to 49 per cent to be shared equally."
Mr Twodo said they had not yet reached the completion of the first phase of the project, only after which would the issue of transferring more equity arise. He said the transfer of equity would come up depending on the results of the development phase of the project.
"The phase we are doing right now is project development. Once that phase is complete, it culminates in the making of the final investment decision when we will decide on everything, including whether to transfer more equity to the private developer. That [resolution] will be embedded in the final investment decision," he said.
Mr Twodo said the final investment decision (the point at which Tamoil can be given the go-ahead to procure items for construction as well as contract companies that will do the engineering and construction work) would be made in August, but the actual construction will start either in late October or early November.
A government official who spoke to The EastAfrican over the matter on condition of anonymity said the reason given for the move was lack of money to pay for the equity.
"They say that there is no money to pay for the equity," the official said, "which is strange; how can a government that can give almost $20 million to a textile venture fail to raise $6 million for a strategic national project?" The Ugandan government lost an estimated $20 million after the collapse of Tri-Star Apparel, a textile firm propped up, unsuccessfully, by government loans, grants and guarantees, to produce garments for export to the United States under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).
Finance Ministry officials denied any knowledge of the question of Uganda's inability to pay for its equity in the project. "I have no idea," Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi told The EastAfrican. "I have not been involved at all."
This is not the first time the question of Uganda's equity participation in the project has come to the fore. The EastAfrican, quoting Junior Energy Minister Simon D'Ujanga, had reported in January this year that Uganda was considering pulling out of the equity contribution to the project
The Rest @ the East African News and All Africa.com
3 July 2007
Posted to the web 3 July 2007
Daniel Kalinaki
Nairobi
The Ugandan government has secretly been planning to cede more control of the Eldoret-Kampala Oil Pipeline it is building in partnership with the Kenyan government, to the project developers, Tamoil of Libya, The EastAfrican can now reveal.
Under the original plan, the private developer was expected to take up 51 per cent of the project while the two governments, splitting the 49 per cent, would take 24.5 per cent each. Tamoil signed a preliminary agreement with the governments in late January in Kampala allowing it to put the necessary facilities in place over six months before a final agreement is signed.
The project was expected to cost $78.2 million, 70 per cent of which was to be debt by all three parties, with the rest coming in the form of equity contributions. This meant that each of the two governments would have to pay about $5.8 million in equity contributions.
However, The EastAfrican has now learnt that the Permanent Secretary in Uganda's Energy Ministry, Fredrick Kabagambe-Kaliisa, wrote to Tamoil in April and revealed that Uganda was not in a position to finance its equity contribution to the project. In the same letter, the Ugandan official invited Tamoil to take up a greater percentage of the equity in the project.
Under the terms of the project - which Uganda and Kenya have worked on since 1994 - Kenya would also be forced to cede more equity to Tamoil if Uganda's offer were taken up, as both governments must have an equal share in the project.
More significantly, Uganda, a landlocked country that imports virtually all its petroleum products through Kenya, would have handed over complete control of a strategic national asset to a private firm.
It is not clear what Uganda's official position is on the strategic value and control of the pipeline. Asked to comment about the letter offering to cede more equity to Tamoil, Energy Minister Daudi Migereko denied the contents and spirit of his permanent secretary's letter.
"It is not true," Mr Migereko told The EastAfrican. "The government is taking up its equity; we are only discussing the terms under which to do so. We are talking about having a carried interest in the negotiations? We are going to have a stake in that project."
Ben Twodo, a commissioner in the ministry who was closely involved in the negotiations over the project, said he did not know of any transfer of equity but added that any such transfer would be within the confines of the agreement.
"Our language was never that the private developer would take 50 per cent," he told The EastAfrican. "Our language was that the private developer would take at least 51 per cent, meaning it could be more; and then we said that the two governments would take up to 49 per cent to be shared equally."
Mr Twodo said they had not yet reached the completion of the first phase of the project, only after which would the issue of transferring more equity arise. He said the transfer of equity would come up depending on the results of the development phase of the project.
"The phase we are doing right now is project development. Once that phase is complete, it culminates in the making of the final investment decision when we will decide on everything, including whether to transfer more equity to the private developer. That [resolution] will be embedded in the final investment decision," he said.
Mr Twodo said the final investment decision (the point at which Tamoil can be given the go-ahead to procure items for construction as well as contract companies that will do the engineering and construction work) would be made in August, but the actual construction will start either in late October or early November.
A government official who spoke to The EastAfrican over the matter on condition of anonymity said the reason given for the move was lack of money to pay for the equity.
"They say that there is no money to pay for the equity," the official said, "which is strange; how can a government that can give almost $20 million to a textile venture fail to raise $6 million for a strategic national project?" The Ugandan government lost an estimated $20 million after the collapse of Tri-Star Apparel, a textile firm propped up, unsuccessfully, by government loans, grants and guarantees, to produce garments for export to the United States under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).
Finance Ministry officials denied any knowledge of the question of Uganda's inability to pay for its equity in the project. "I have no idea," Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi told The EastAfrican. "I have not been involved at all."
This is not the first time the question of Uganda's equity participation in the project has come to the fore. The EastAfrican, quoting Junior Energy Minister Simon D'Ujanga, had reported in January this year that Uganda was considering pulling out of the equity contribution to the project
The Rest @ the East African News and All Africa.com
Chinese Enterprise in Pakistan - Is it Happening in Africa?
The recent deaths at the Red Mosque in Peshwar, Pakistan has a Chinese connection. There are now alegations that among the hostages in the area were Chinese "Health Center" workers who were freed from slavery by the Radicals.
Though it is about Pakistan, not Africa, it presents the Challenges that Chinese Enterprises face.
What is most interesting is this excellent analysis of what happens as Chinese spread around the globe. They appears to be making the same cultural mistakes Americans made 50 years ago.
What follows is an excerpt from the Article by the International Herald Tribune.
-Shimron
After weeks of free rein in the city attacking fellow Pakistanis, the squads of self-appointed enforcers of strict Shariah, consisting of armed male and female students, raised the stakes, and selected a foreign target.
On June 23, the seminarians entered a Chinese-run health care center, which is often a euphemism for sex parlor, and kidnapped seven Chinese people, including five females whom they believed to be prostitutes.
Within Pakistan, and indeed much more widely among people who have followed these events closely, this incident, along with the killing two weeks later of three Chinese people in the western Pakistani city of Peshawar, is believed by many South Asian diplomats to have precipitated the decision by President Pervez Musharraf to lay siege to the mosque, mounting a rare, direct confrontation with the forces of radical Islam in his country.
....Moreover, almost no one in the press has printed, even speculatively, what many Chinese themselves presume to be the truth of this matter, that the women kidnapped and later released in Islamabad were sex workers.
After all, there are important myths to protect: One of them is the essential goodness of the Chinese people, and the other, that China does not interfere in other countries' internal affairs.
Chinese citizens and Chinese interests are fanning out around the globe at a rate that is unequaled in this country's long history.
Wherever they land the Chinese are very often reproducing a Chinese way of life, as Americans did in the postwar era over half a century ago.
As with overseas Americans - the "Ugly American" became a cliché in Asia - among the Chinese, naturally enough, there is good and bad. Along with fresh injections of capital and ingenuity and China's famous entrepreneurial bustle, the Chinese also often bring an insular clannishness, a driven style of management, an unblushing attitude toward corruption, and as the case in Pakistan suggests, an acceptance of things like brothels, which are common in China but in many other societies are seen as undesirable or are illegal.
Beyond the very real issue of the problems such things might cause abroad, there is an issue of growing importance in China itself, one of information and candor and an ability to accept criticism, or more to the point where the events of Pakistan are concerned, to promote and accept self-criticism.
In online discussions of the massage parlor kidnappings, Chinese who mentioned the possibility that the abductees were prostitutes were quickly denounced. Others who had been fed sanitized accounts of the incident demanded military action.
read the rest
Though it is about Pakistan, not Africa, it presents the Challenges that Chinese Enterprises face.
What is most interesting is this excellent analysis of what happens as Chinese spread around the globe. They appears to be making the same cultural mistakes Americans made 50 years ago.
What follows is an excerpt from the Article by the International Herald Tribune.
-Shimron
After weeks of free rein in the city attacking fellow Pakistanis, the squads of self-appointed enforcers of strict Shariah, consisting of armed male and female students, raised the stakes, and selected a foreign target.
On June 23, the seminarians entered a Chinese-run health care center, which is often a euphemism for sex parlor, and kidnapped seven Chinese people, including five females whom they believed to be prostitutes.
Within Pakistan, and indeed much more widely among people who have followed these events closely, this incident, along with the killing two weeks later of three Chinese people in the western Pakistani city of Peshawar, is believed by many South Asian diplomats to have precipitated the decision by President Pervez Musharraf to lay siege to the mosque, mounting a rare, direct confrontation with the forces of radical Islam in his country.
....Moreover, almost no one in the press has printed, even speculatively, what many Chinese themselves presume to be the truth of this matter, that the women kidnapped and later released in Islamabad were sex workers.
After all, there are important myths to protect: One of them is the essential goodness of the Chinese people, and the other, that China does not interfere in other countries' internal affairs.
Chinese citizens and Chinese interests are fanning out around the globe at a rate that is unequaled in this country's long history.
Wherever they land the Chinese are very often reproducing a Chinese way of life, as Americans did in the postwar era over half a century ago.
As with overseas Americans - the "Ugly American" became a cliché in Asia - among the Chinese, naturally enough, there is good and bad. Along with fresh injections of capital and ingenuity and China's famous entrepreneurial bustle, the Chinese also often bring an insular clannishness, a driven style of management, an unblushing attitude toward corruption, and as the case in Pakistan suggests, an acceptance of things like brothels, which are common in China but in many other societies are seen as undesirable or are illegal.
Beyond the very real issue of the problems such things might cause abroad, there is an issue of growing importance in China itself, one of information and candor and an ability to accept criticism, or more to the point where the events of Pakistan are concerned, to promote and accept self-criticism.
In online discussions of the massage parlor kidnappings, Chinese who mentioned the possibility that the abductees were prostitutes were quickly denounced. Others who had been fed sanitized accounts of the incident demanded military action.
read the rest
Monday, July 09, 2007
SOCO -What are they doing?
SOCO International plc (LSE: SIA) is an international oil and gas exploration and production company, headquartered in London traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. It is currently valued by the market around £900m. The Company has continuing interests in Vietnam, Yemen, Thailand and the Republic of Congo with ongoing production operations in Yemen.
Soco was formed around 1991 to exploit international opportunities as a subsidiary of Snyder Oil Corporation of the USA. Ed Story ran operations as Vice-President International and director of Snyder Oil. Roger Cagle was its CFO. Story/Cagle had worked together for 15 years beforehand at Conquest, Superior and Exxon. Soco acquired interests in Russia and Mongolia.
1 History - Pre-IPO 2 Company History 3 Key personnel 4 Current Interests 4.1 Vietnam 5 References 6 External links
The Rest at Wikipedia
Soco was formed around 1991 to exploit international opportunities as a subsidiary of Snyder Oil Corporation of the USA. Ed Story ran operations as Vice-President International and director of Snyder Oil. Roger Cagle was its CFO. Story/Cagle had worked together for 15 years beforehand at Conquest, Superior and Exxon. Soco acquired interests in Russia and Mongolia.
1 History - Pre-IPO 2 Company History 3 Key personnel 4 Current Interests 4.1 Vietnam 5 References 6 External links
The Rest at Wikipedia
TAMOIL is Oilinvest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oilinvest trades under the Tamoil brand in several European and African countries, such as at this filling station in Pijnacker in the Netherlands.
Tamoil is a trading name of the Oilinvest B.V. Group, an oil company based in the Netherlands and set up by the Libyan state. Oilinvest's activities under the Tamoil brand, mainly in Europe and Africa, include the supply, trading and refinement of crude oil and the sale of refined oil products. In 2004 Tamoil operated almost 3000 petrol stations in Europe and over 150 in Africa. [1]
from Wikipedia
Oilinvest trades under the Tamoil brand in several European and African countries, such as at this filling station in Pijnacker in the Netherlands.
Tamoil is a trading name of the Oilinvest B.V. Group, an oil company based in the Netherlands and set up by the Libyan state. Oilinvest's activities under the Tamoil brand, mainly in Europe and Africa, include the supply, trading and refinement of crude oil and the sale of refined oil products. In 2004 Tamoil operated almost 3000 petrol stations in Europe and over 150 in Africa. [1]
from Wikipedia
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Hormood and Telecom banned for supporting Somali Insurgents
08 July.07
Mayor of Mogadishu, Mohammed Dheere, announced Sunday that two major local telephone companies, Hormood and Telcom Somalia, branches in Heliwa district, north of the Somali capital, could not operate from today forward.
Dheere accused the firms of assisting insurgents battling with the transitional government and Ethiopian troops based in Mogadishu.
The mayor has also pointed that a large collection of various weapons were seized in the government's latest house-to-house search operations in Shibis neighborhood, north of the capital, on Sunday.
In decree issued from his office, the mayor said insurgents fired gunshot at the Somali troops while the shots were coming from Hormood building in Heliwa.
It said large number of weaponries was confiscated from Telcom Somalia as the company only gave up four small guns when the government notified the company to surrender all of its arms.
This was done after the troops searched Telecom Somalia.
In news conference he held in Mogadishu after the decree, Dheere told journalists that 4 people were arrested by the government soldiers after were incarcerated while making impoverished explosives. "They will face the justice very soon," he said.
Meanwhile one person was killed and at least ten were wounded in twin grenade explosions in Mogadishu's biggest market.
Witnesses said most of the victims were hit by bullets fired by the government soldiers after the blasts
The rest @ Shabelle
Here is a list of Somalia Companies
Shabelle Media Network Somalia
Mayor of Mogadishu, Mohammed Dheere, announced Sunday that two major local telephone companies, Hormood and Telcom Somalia, branches in Heliwa district, north of the Somali capital, could not operate from today forward.
Dheere accused the firms of assisting insurgents battling with the transitional government and Ethiopian troops based in Mogadishu.
The mayor has also pointed that a large collection of various weapons were seized in the government's latest house-to-house search operations in Shibis neighborhood, north of the capital, on Sunday.
In decree issued from his office, the mayor said insurgents fired gunshot at the Somali troops while the shots were coming from Hormood building in Heliwa.
It said large number of weaponries was confiscated from Telcom Somalia as the company only gave up four small guns when the government notified the company to surrender all of its arms.
This was done after the troops searched Telecom Somalia.
In news conference he held in Mogadishu after the decree, Dheere told journalists that 4 people were arrested by the government soldiers after were incarcerated while making impoverished explosives. "They will face the justice very soon," he said.
Meanwhile one person was killed and at least ten were wounded in twin grenade explosions in Mogadishu's biggest market.
Witnesses said most of the victims were hit by bullets fired by the government soldiers after the blasts
The rest @ Shabelle
Here is a list of Somalia Companies
Shabelle Media Network Somalia
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Morocco on high al-Qaeda terror alert
By Sammy Ketz in Rabat, Morocco
July 08, 2007 02:21am
MOROCCO'S security forces were on maximum alert today after "established terror threats" by what experts said was the regional branch of al-Qaeda.
Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa informed the country's security experts yesterday of a “current threat” against the northwest African country.
The alert demands the full mobilisation of the security services and the “redoubling of vigilance”, the interior ministry said after the meeting.
Morocco has been on edge since a series of suicide bomb attacks earlier this year which killed a police officer and injured 45 people.
The Rest from an Austrailian Reporter in Morocco
By Sammy Ketz in Rabat, Morocco
July 08, 2007 02:21am
MOROCCO'S security forces were on maximum alert today after "established terror threats" by what experts said was the regional branch of al-Qaeda.
Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa informed the country's security experts yesterday of a “current threat” against the northwest African country.
The alert demands the full mobilisation of the security services and the “redoubling of vigilance”, the interior ministry said after the meeting.
Morocco has been on edge since a series of suicide bomb attacks earlier this year which killed a police officer and injured 45 people.
The Rest from an Austrailian Reporter in Morocco
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