[R-G] GLOBAL WAR ON OIL NOW ALL OVER THE CONTINENT

[Anthony Fenton]

Copyright 2007 Financial Times Information
All Rights Reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright 2007 The Nation (Kenya), Distributed by AllAfrica Global  
Media , Source: The Financial Times Limited
The Nation (Kenya) - AAGM

August 25, 2007 Saturday

ACC-NO: A2007082537-15C34-GNW

LENGTH: 649 words

HEADLINE: GLOBAL WAR ON OIL NOW ALL OVER THE CONTINENT

BYLINE: Simwogerere Kyazze

BODY:


Earlier this month, a revitalised Russia sent a submarine to plant a  
flag on the frozen seabed of the North Pole, and symbolically lay  
claim to a large chunk of the vast Arctic ice.

A few days later, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper trekked up  
the same frozen north and declared that "our government has an  
aggressive Arctic agenda," while announcing plans to build a military  
base, as well as patrol boats to keep out land grabbers.

Denmark, another country that shares these icy shores has also  
recently sent scientists whose findings it hopes, will prove once and  
for all, that there is some underwater connection between the Nordic  
country and the North Pole.

This jingoistic posturing, with potential for full-scale wars is over  
just one thing: petroleum. It's been said that there are great  
reserves of oil and natural gas buried beneath the unforgiving snow  
of the North Pole, and the countries whose rear ends face it have  
been keen to claim them as their own in a world of dwindling fossil  
fuels.

It's just over 10 years ago when crude oil cost all of US $10 (Sh680)  
per barrel. Today, the same barrel routinely goes for around US $70  
and the way India and China are guzzling the stuff, it might not be  
long before it nudges US $100! Which brings us to Uganda, the  
Democratic Republic of Congo and the discovery of oil in Lake Albert.

Beating chests

These days, if Uganda government officials are not issuing statements  
about the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in  
Kampala, or the stalled peace talks in northern Uganda, they are  
beating their chests about the latest "spectacular" oil find around  
and the exciting new world of being an oil producer.

But like the Russians, Canadians and the Danes at the North Pole,  
Uganda has to deal with its immediate neighbours to the west; for  
Lake Albert is not entirely theirs. The stakes are high enough that  
just over two weeks ago, the dispute broke into a fight - with guns -  
in which a British oilman became the first, but certainly not the  
last man, to be killed.

It doesn't help either that oil appears to bring out the worst in  
anyone with a gun. In Washington for example, the politicos convinced  
themselves and others that they were invading Iraq (which  
incidentally has the world's second largest proven oil reserves) to  
remove Weapons of Mass Destruction, and later that bad man Sadam  
Hussein. But only the truly naïve believed them.

African standards

In Nigeria and Angola, oil has been a source of internecine warfare  
and mafia-type crime on a massive scale even by African standards. In  
less troubled oil producing countries like Gabon, Guinea and  
Cameroon, national affairs are conducted by boisterous kleptomaniacs  
who use the proceeds only for personal gain.

Meanwhile, the oil strike in Lake Albert, while decent, is nothing  
compared to even the big boys in Africa like Libya; not to mention  
Russia or Saudi Arabia.

Nevertheless, the reserves (estimated at less than 100.000 barrels a  
day for about 10 years when production starts), are still significant  
enough to guarantee future conflict between Uganda and the DRC.

For the current leadership in Uganda, oil would just be another  
excuse to cling to power. President Yoweri Museveni is rounding on  
his 22nd year and needs an umpteenth wind of relevance, while  
projection of strength abroad gives Joseph Kabila's countrymen  
something to rally around beyond their political squabbles.

Oil is the latest gold card for finding traction with energy-hungry  
China (and India), whose future seems to have arrived; as well as  
with the traditional big powers in the West and Japan. African  
leaders are aware that as long as one has oil, one need not  
necessarily be a democrat.

In fact one can even be a despot and still be welcome in Western  
capitals. That might explain the cosy ties between the West and Saudi  
Arabia.

Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media. (allafrica.com)