Prime Minister Roble suspends oil deal, threatens legal action
3 min read
The Office of the Prime Minister of Somalia Mohamed Hussein Roble has issued a statement regarding an agreement that the Somali Ministry of Petroleum has entered into with a US oil exploration company.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office stated that a agreement reached recently by the Ministry of Petroleum was invalid and that it would take action.
“The alleged agreement signed by the Minister of Petroleum regarding Somalia’s oil issues is illegal, so it does not exist,” Roble’s statement said.
The alleged production sharing agreement purportedly signed by the Minister of Petroleum with a foreign entity regarding Somali oil reserves is illegal, unacceptable since it wasn't done through legal avenues.I will take all appropriate measures to protect our national resources
— Mohamed Hussein Roble (@MohamedHRoble) February 19, 2022
The statement added, “The Prime Minister will take legal action in response to this act that violates the National Assets and the legacy of future generations, in order to safeguard the integrity of the Somali Nation.”
Ra’iisulwasaraha ayaa qaadidoonaa talaabooyin sharci ah oo looga jawaabayo falkaas xadgudubka ku ah Hantida Qaranka iyo dhaxalka Jiilalka soo socda si loo ilaaliyo amaanada Ummadda Soomaaliyeed.
— SomaliPM (@SomaliPM) February 19, 2022
Coastline Exploration Limited (“Coastline”), a US-based company that signed the agreement with the Somali Ministry of Petroleum, announced today that it has signed seven production agreements with the Somali Ministry of Petroleum.
The company, which is keen to explore for oil in the Horn of Africa region, has signed agreements with the Somali Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals to explore for oil in the waters off Somalia.
Richard Anderson, chief executive officer of Coastline Exploration Limited, explains the agreement with the Somali government’s Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals.
“Somalia has a large number of boreholes, which have not yet been explored” he said.
He added, “The Somali government and the Ministry of Petroleum have invested a lot of time and effort in providing the country with the necessary legal and administrative infrastructure to support oil and gas exploration, through the passage of the Petroleum Law, and the ratification of the Revenue Sharing Agreement of the Federal Government and Member States and the establishment of the Somali Petroleum Authority to provide ongoing support for expected growth. ”
Meanwhile, Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Minerals Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed has detailed the ministry’s oil exploration agreement with US-based Coastline Exploration Limited (“Coastline”).
Minister Abdirashid said that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo was aware of the $7 million deal and did not know why he was now opposed to it, explaining that he was defending himself against the pressure and backlash on social media.
“This file was kept secret by the president and I. We have known each other very well and have been working together (on this deal) for a long time ”Said Somali Minister of Petroleum Abdirashid Mohamed.
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo issued a statement tonight after a heavy social media pressure to deny the accusation stating that the oil deal was null.
The Presidency FGS hereby declares nullification of Petroleum pact signed by the Minister on behalf of FGS. The deal contravenes Presidential Decree 7/8/2021 which bans the inking of deals during elections so as to protect public resources from exploitation during the elections. pic.twitter.com/ATcFqUCw6g
— Villa Somalia (@TheVillaSomalia) February 19, 2022
