Nazret.com
Friday, March 01, 2013
This harsh region, thought to be rich in natural gas, is beginning to
attract foreign investors after years of separatist violence and
attacks on oil facilities.
The latest to defy the threats from rebels is Africa Oil Corp., a
Canadian oil and gas company that on Sunday announced it had signed a
petroleum exploration and production agreement with the Ethiopian
government.
Shortly before the announcement, the Canadian company had received a
direct warning from the main rebel group. The Ogaden National Liberation
Front, which carried out deadly attacks on foreign oil company sites in
2007, issued a statement warning AOC not to pay what it called “blood
money” to Ethiopia and saying that “the Ogaden is a battle zone that is
not safe for an oil company to operate [in].”
AOC had previously played down the danger. The CEO, Keith Hill, said
that the majority of the ONLF had laid down their weapons and made peace
with the government and that “there is one faction left and they’re
conducting talks with the new administration.” The government and the
rebel group have had on-again, off-again settlement talks, but they
broke down in December.