U.S. Energy Trade Mission to Visit Four African Countries
Washington has belatedly discovered Africa’s vast mineralogical and energy riches, and the U.S. State Department is dispatching a trade mission to Africa that will visit Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana.
Botswana: Uranium company takes President Khama’s brother on board
Uranium explorer, A-Cap Resources Limited, has announced the appointment of Anthony Khama to the Board of Directors of the company’s wholly- owned subsidiary, A-Cap Resources Botswana (Proprietary) Limited.
Madagascar’s Oil Fortunes Evolving Slowly
Madagascar Oil Ltd., Houston, said it is encouraged by brightening prospects for the blocks that contain its Tsimiroro and Bemolanga giant heavy oil deposits in nonproducing Madagascar.
Nigeria: Eni SpA Pipeline Set Ablaze by Militants, MEND Claims Responsibility
A statement purportedly from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(MEND), one of Nigeria’s largest militant groups, claims to have “attacked and destroyed” a pipeline owned by a Nigerian subsidiary of Eni SpA. Eni has since stated that an incident disrupted its Nigeria output by some 4000 barrels a day, but has yet to officially confirm the attack. In a statement released to media outlets, MEND said that “this relatively insignificant attack is a reminder of our presence in the creeks of the Niger Delta and a sign of things to come.”
In Saif Al Islam Trial, Libya’s Post-Gaddafi Government Sees Chance to Reassert Legitimacy
With no justice system in place yet, the ICC wants to extradite Gaddafi’s son to The Hague… but the Libyan government sees his trial as an opportunity to reassert its legitimacy, setting the stage for what could be the first real test of the post-Gaddafi government’s institutional integrity.
United States moving into Africa’s Nile River Basin
“Rivers are political systems. Management of rivers is political and management of international rivers is very political. The Chinese got it right long ago: River + Dyke = Political Order.”
Energy Giants Tullow Oil, Eni S.p.A Accused of Trying to Bribe Ugandan Ministers in Oil Deal
Hussein Bogere & Moses Talemwa – The Ugandan parliament’s ad hoc committee yesterday heard that Eni and Tullow Oil tried to influence the process of acquiring oil deals in Uganda by approaching three key government officials: Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and ministers Sam Kutesa (Foreign Affairs) and Hilary Onek (then Energy; currently Internal Affairs).
For Botswana, Coal is the New Gold: Rising coal prices bring hope to CIC Energy, Aviva
An average 40 percent increase in the price of thermal coal in 2010 and projections for even further growth this year have come as a godsend to the development of Botswana’s Mmamabula and Mmamantswe projects whose prospects were dented late last year.
The Failure of the Liberian Runoff Election
Oil money and international meddling seem set to undermine democracy in Liberia, argues Dr Gary K Busch.
Brazil Delays Uranium Enrichment Project to 2018
Brazil has the sixth largest known uranium reserves: more than 300,000 tons, enough to keep 20 atomic power plants of electricity working for 60 years.
Namibia’s uranium mining industry to benefit from Russia’s nuclear energy revival
Namibia’s mining industry is set to benefit from renewed Russian interest in the expansion of its nuclear energy technology development program. This comes in the wake of Russian president Dmitry Medvedev’s signing of an executive order directing state institutions to expand their nuclear energy development goals.
Namibia sees 11 billion barrels in oil reserves
An estimated 11 billion barrels in oil reserves have been found off Namibia’s coast, with the first production planned within four years, mines and energy minister Isak Katali announced Wednesday.