Hiiraan Online

by Rukia Abdi

On 20th of July, the President of Puntland Abdirahman Farole met with executives from oil companies in Dubai, UAE.

The talks were held behind closed doors, at Millennium Hotel in Dubai, where the Puntland delegation were staying. The delegation was headed by President Farole himself and the Interior Minister Gen. Abdullahi Jama Ilkajiir.

The Director of Puntland’s Petroleum and Minerals agency, Isse Mohamud Dholowa was also part of Farole’s delegation in Dubai.

After two days of talks, Puntland President’s office released a short statement, saying that President Farole and members of his delegation met with executives from Range Resources Ltd and Africa Oil Corp. The statement added that the new Puntland administration will re-examine, past oil exploration agreements signed by the former Puntland government.

The statement from Farole’s office, was an attempt to show the people,  the new administration’s willingness to share important information with the public.

However it failed miserably to deliver the right message. Even though the meeting was publicizes days later when it was concluded. But the statement, did not give any information about the respective agreements.

It did not also, mention the current deadlock between President Farole and oil companies, on how to carry on with the oil production phase, in Dharor and Nugal valley in Puntland.

The secrecy surrounding oil explorations in Puntland, is not new to the public. The previous government of Gen.Adde Muse, was similarly secretive about the dealings with enigmatic foreign oil companies.

In 2006, President Abdirahman Farole, then a minister, became an opposition leader, when a political dispute related with the Oil explorations, erupted between him and then-President Adde Muse.

Farole, who was at the time Puntland’s minister of Planning and international relations, was against any dealings with foreign companies including, Range Resources Ltd, which currently sold half of it’s mineral and oil explorations rights in Puntland, to the Canadian owned, Africa Oil Corp.

Gen.Adde Muse, former Puntland leader, was invited in to the Dubai talks. Some consider him as the backbone of the oil exploration program in Puntland.

The top secrecy surrounding the talks in Dubai, is a testament to the hidden agendas of Puntland rulers, when it comes to the oil and mineral explorations in Puntland.

Without a doubt, Farole’s and Adde’s  administrations, are evermore looking identical in many ways, when we talk about hidden personal gains, combined in lucrative agreements with foreign oil companies.
To come back to my point; actually, the only things that I have for President Farole are questions and more questions:
Why was the meeting so secretive, if the current government is not genuine about their promises of transparency and good governance?

Why is such an important meeting was held in behind closed doors, at luxurious hotels in Dubai, thousands of miles away from Garowe?

Perhaps President Farole, was not so sure about the security in Puntland, so they had to meet some where else?  If that is the case, how would they start with oil production in Puntland, if they can’t even meet in Garowe?
Or was there something else, that we don’t know about?
Why are the cabinet and Parliament, so clueless about the oil agreements?
It is strange, yesterday, President Farole used to call Range Resources a sham company,   and today he is meet with executives from the same company, in a secret meeting far away from Puntland.

The President’s office keeps reminding us, that they will re-examine previous agreements, yet none of these documents are public, not even to the cabinet and Puntland Parliament!

Before they could re-examine anything, they should publicize all agreements, so the public could take a glance on, what the whole fuss is all about.

One thing that all Somalis could agree on, is that nothing stays secret forever, because in a Somali society, the word gets around pretty quickly.

Even before the president is back in Puntland, the people are already debating, in cafes in Bosaso and Garowe, about the alleged stalemate between President Farole and Oil comapanies, they say the Presidents is persistent on starting oil productions only in Nugal valley, while the oil Companies want to start their oil production in Dharor valley.

Others openly debate about, new Chinese oil companies, that are lining up for new oil exploration agreements with Farole’s government, with the help of the son of Puntland’s President.

The President should act on his word, and conduct these delicate matters with utmost transparency, that is if he is not involved with, the old back door dealing, that is so typical of  the shady African leaders.
Lets hope, that President Farole will take his own advice of good governance into account and be transparent to his own people.