Here is a comment from another confused foreigner. While everyone was concerned about rescuing him, his "government," and, more importantly, his long-suffering countrymen, from the rising Islamist tide last year, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was busy negotiating a contract with the PRC's state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) – the same firm that one year earlier had been forced to back off a takeover of Unocal under pressure from a broad bipartisan group in the U.S. Congress – as well as the smaller China International Oil and Gas (CIOG) Group. In November 2006, while the TFG was besieged in its last redoubt at Baidoa and Ethiopia was preparing to intervene to rescue those members of the regime who had not fled or defected to the Islamists, the Somali "president" traveled to CNOOC headquarters in China to ratify the deal with the oil group's chairman and chief executive officer, Fu Chengyu. And apparently in June of this year, while special envoys from the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Italy were shuttling around Somali territory trying to drum up support for ultimately-abortive national conference, TFG "energy minister" Abdullahi Yusuf Mohamad was meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, with Chen Zhuobiao, head of CNOOC operations in Africa, and Judah Jay, managing director of CIOG, to put the final touches on the technical details of the deal. Up for grabs is what is believed to be a field located in the Mudug region of the semi-autonomous northwestern region of Puntland, traditional fief of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed's ***** clan. In the 1980s, a number of Western firms – including Conoco-Phillips (then two separate enterprises), Chevron, British Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell, and Italy's Eni S.p.a. – held exploration concessions in Somalia and, according to some estimates, invested more than $150 million in onshore geological studies before they were forced to shut down operations with the collapse of the state. Now Range Resources Ltd., a mysterious oil group that has been suspended from listing on the Australian Stock Exchange five times in the last two years (its share price closed last Friday just shy of 70 U.S. cents), has concluded from data collected by earlier firms as well as field studies that it has managed to conduct in recent years thanks to its close ties with Puntland's rulers that the potential yield may be as high as 10 billion barrels – making the Mudug field alone worth more than $700 billion at Friday's $70.28 a barrel London Brent crude spot price. pure speculation.... The deal gives the Chinese firms 49 percent of the profits with the rest supposed to go to the TFG. In addition, according to a subsequent Financial Times report, the TFG will receive a bonus of $50 million for any wells which yield more than 200,000 barrels a day for seventy-five consecutive days. While the venture is clearly risky for the Chinese firms – recall that Somalia has been without an effective government for more than sixteen years – the real question is, in the event they should meet with success, whether Somalis in general will actually see any benefit from the natural resources under their feet. It seems that Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Abdullahi Yusuf Mohamad, apparently with the collusion of their clansmen in Puntland, entered into the bargain without consulting TFG Last year I argued in this column that the Beijing was engaged in a long-term pursuit aimed at securing Chinese access to Africa's energy resources wherever they can find an opening, an observation confirmed by President Hu Jintao's twelve-day, eight-nation tour of Africa this past February, the third since he took office in 2003, which I likewise commented on in this space. However, as I noted earlier this summer, "while the focus has largely been on what China has extracted from Africa, what Beijing brings to the regimes of the continent" needs to also be examined, particularly when it "appears that the PRC has progressively found that arms transfers can serve a wide array of Chinese foreign and even domestic policy purposes, including improving relations with particular countries" even as it "undermines what little leverage Western governments and international organizations have with recalcitrant regimes." All these concerns come together in the formerly secret deal that the TFG "president" struck with the Chinese firms. In Somalia, public unrest increases daily as a direct result of the heavy-handed actions of the TFG: last Friday, the popular Shabelle radio station in Mogadishu reported that it was shut down for several hours when the local police commander in The TFG head's bet, of course, is that the deal will bring him resources that will enable him to safely ignore his critics or, if necessary, to suppress them. Certainly the record of Beijing's other friends in Africa would lend credence to his calculus. As for ordinary Somalis, if TFG's Chinese firms maintain the same modus operandi in Puntland as they have elsewhere across the continent (i.e., bringing in foreign workers and adding little to the local economy), they will receive little more for their inconvenience than the environmental degradation of their grazing lands and perhaps a little abuse by their own security forces working with the resource exploiters (see my report last year China's hydrocarbon extraction in South Sudan). And the greatest irony of it all is that if CNOOC, CIOG, and their partners strike it rich in Africa's newest oilfield, it will be because U.S. diplomacy, money, intelligence, and arms provided the security and propped up the TFG political cover without which the Chinese consortium could not have gone prospecting in Somalia on behalf of the one country that, according to both the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review and the 2007 Annual Report to Congress on the Military Power of the People's Republic of China, "has the greatest potential to compete militarily with the United States and field disruptive military technologies that could over time offset traditional U.S. military advantages." Were it not for the grand strategic stakes involved, this whole tale would actually be quite a comical (and just) comeuppance for the architects of the ill-considered policy of throwing America behind the corrupt and illegitimate TFG.

Somalia: Oil explorations in Puntland State of Somalia June 4th, 2008 Bosaso(HR Media):-On Sunday 1st of June, the President of Puntland State of Somalia H.E.Mohamud Muse Hersi (Adde Muse) visited the Dharor Valley where the company IMC (contracted by African Oil Corp) is conducting an exploration for Oil, the first of its kind in Somalia for decades.The oil and mineral exploration in Puntland is part of major activities by the regional government to create new sources of income, Puntland is one of the stable regions in Somalia. The regional government has recently signed oil and mineral exploration agreement with Canadian based Company African Oil Corp. For the last weeks there have been a flow of exploration equipments arriving at the port town of Bosaso, and the company workers have already set up a massive exploration camp in Dharor Valley. This oil exploration is now called the biggest investment by a foreign company in whole of Somalia. President Adde’s visit to the Dharor Valley comes days after the new operation camp was set up, on arrival the Puntland leader received a warm welcome from the local community who are strongly supporting the development activities in their region. In a meeting at Ufeyn town near Dharor valley the Puntland President discussed the oil exploration with local leaders and elders. The President called for the local community to work with the company and also to protect the peace and stability of the region. Mr.Adde emphasised that without peace it will be impossible to conduct such huge development projects in the region. The current government of Puntland is focusing on encouraging foreign investors to explore and exploit the vast untapped natural resources of Puntland, and security is first priority. During that meeting the representatives of the oil company gave their plans for the future investments not only in the Oil exploration and job creation but also their plans to support the social development projects such as education and health care. In 1991 the World Bank coordinated a study intended to encourage private investment in the petroleum potential of eight (8) African nations. Somalia and The Sudan topped the list of potential new commercial oil producers. Puntland State of Somalia remains one of the very few areas in the world that has vast untapped potential for the discovery of significant reserves of hydrocarbons and world class mineral deposits. Horseed Media

^^^Thats the advantage we are witnessing here. The TFG has convinced the world of its course, its rights and legitimacy. The secesionists and their new friends Al -Kebaab are isolated. Lets face facts.

^^^lol. Its my opinion, a single news source from a clan website that supports the defeated clan militia is not to be trusted. Anyhow how many times will they cry wolf? The TFG is still in power, they are still acting big all the way in Asamara, making daily threats.

^^^lol. It was a seminar and the opposition have no legs to stand on. Even today they made another gaff by threatening the UN security council navy forces. Now what would happen if they actually attacked a Canadian, French or US vessel? I think Xiin you need to advice these people.

^^^Copy & paste is a technique long mastered by the Duke. The above post is a work of fiction Al Shabaab makes threats they seldom help anyone. read the Mansuur rant, posted by the Duke.

“Waxaan u sheegayaa kuwa isku sheegaya Q.midoobay in ay isku mid noo yihiin ayaga iyo kuwa aan la dagaalano ee Itobiya waxaan u sheegaynaa in ay ka dhowrsadaan xeebaheena hadii kale waxay kala kulmaan ayaan arkayna anaga waxaan leenahay naga daaya dhibka aad nagu wadaan iyo diyaaradaha aad nagu dul maraysaan hadii kale waan naqaanaa sida elecotar loo galo. Ahh are they the pirates?

Afhayeenka al-shabaab ahna sarkaal ka tirsan oo wacad ku maray in ay isku si ula dagalamnayaan Itobiya iyo Ciidamada ay Q.midoobay u soo fasaxday Xeebaha Soomaaliya iyo Dilkii cabas oo uu ku tilmaama (04-06-2008) Afhayeenka Ururla Hubeysan ee al-shabaab sheikh Muqtaar rooboow abuu mansuur kana mid ah saraakiisha ka dagaalanta Gobolada dalka sida diinsoor oo uu qabsaday Horaantii sanadkaan ayaa ka warbixiyay sida uu u arko ciidamada Q.midoobay ay leeyihiin oo soo gaaray manta Muqdisho xeebteeda. Sheekha ayaa ka hadalay maraakiibtii saakay timid Xeebaha soomaaliya waxa uuna wacad ku maray in ay isku si ula dagalamayaan ciidamada itobiya ee xooga ku jooga soomaaliya iyo Ciidamada Q.midoobay ay u fasaxday in maraakiibtooda ay ka waardiyeen karaan Bur cad badeedka waxa uuna wax laga xumaado ku tilmaamay dilkii Cabaas Maxamed Ducaale oo ahaa afhayeenka ganacsatada gobolka Banaadir. “Waxaan u sheegayaa kuwa isku sheegaya Q.midoobay in ay isku mid noo yihiin ayaga iyo kuwa aan la dagaalano ee Itobiya waxaan u sheegaynaa in ay ka dhowrsadaan xeebaheena hadii kale waxay kala kulmaan ayaan arkayna anaga waxaan leenahay naga daaya dhibka aad nagu wadaan iyo diyaaradaha aad nagu dul maraysaan hadii kale waan naqaanaa sida elecotar loo galo. “Waxaan ka xumahay ama aan dusha ceeb iyo eedayn uga tuurayaa dadkii ka danbeeyay Dilkii cabaas Maxamed ducaale waxaan leeyahay waa kuwa dili jiray Odayaasha iyo saraakiisha iyo aqoonyahanada anagana dusha naga saari jiray waxaan u tacsiyaynayaa shacabka soomaaliyeed iyo dhamaan dadkii uu ka tagay Marxuumka. Dalkanews, Mogadhiso

^^^There is no ICU adeer. You mean the Asmara group?

lool. Fiction at its best

Xiin, now your group is teaching the UN. Fantastic indeed. They made a meal of it, this was a seminar and not anything more. The talks would be between the parties concerned with the mediator. It’s a piece of theater and nothing more, but it makes them look quite immature and not seasoned enough for such deliberations. Northerner, the seminar was staged by the UN it invited the attendees.

Here is the map of the camp area

Saxib no body is talking, the facts are clear this was a seminar and not a negotiation session. The UN invited the rep from Ethiopia, thus why this media stunt? The government of Somalia has no issues with Ethiopia, Djibouti or the UN. The group you support need to learn basic diplomacy 101.

lame excuses how can one sabotage anything by attending a seminar, this was not the talks, it was a seminar conducted by the UN. Again the Asmara group have been found wanting they do not know what they are doing. They have embarrased their hosts and the UN.

^^^Ask the UN adeer. But what purpose does it serve in walking out other than sending a message to Asamara?

You rush in without thinking, what is the issue here? This meeting is in Djibouti at the auspices of the UN, thus who invited who is not important. However these clowns full of clan “integrity” have made themselves look like fools and obstacles to peace. No one will take them seriously. It highlights that they are not only split, confused but lack confidence. They are suspicious of everyone and everything. Good luck to those who think these clowns will “liberate them”. Mr Juje, your clan militia days were over from 2004 as Siyad Barres regime was in 1991.

To IndaCade's NEPHEW Only the foolish can not see the error of their ways. You went from dominating the fertile south, taking over Mogadishu to being reduce to seek cover in Asmara & going round in circles in Djibouti. All this bravado and big talk adds to naught. Somalia has had a paradigm shift which is near irreversible. The TFG strategy of taking incremental steps, seeking viable international support and making its case to the Security Council has paid off. Its easy to send children on a bombing spree, its harder to hold territory, build working administrations. Fake clan courts with no administration are no answer adeer.

The dilemma for the Asmara group is, they seem to be out of touch with reality. They don’t seem to be aware that the international community has many other more pressing issues. They are in fact forcing the world community to continue supporting the TFG and stay the course with regards to the present strategy.

http://www.rangeresources.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/In_the_News/Range_African_Energy.pdf

Bethuel Kiplagat “ Qaramada Midoobay waa in ay ciidamo nabad ilaalineed oo deg deg ah usoo dirto Soomaaliya, islaamiyiinta nabada diidana waa in la qo’doomiyo” Wakiilkii hore ee dowladda Kenya ugu qaabilsanaa wada hadaladii nabada Soomaaliya ee lagusoo dhisay dowladda qaran ee hada Jirta Mr. Bethuel Kiplagat, ayaa sheegay in lagama maarmaan ay tahay sida ugu dhaqsiyaha badan in dalka Soomaaliya loogu helo ciidamo nabad Ilaalineed oo ka socda Qaramada Midoobay. “Qaramada Midoobay waa in ay ciidamo nabada Ilaaliya sida ugu dhaqsiyaha badan ugu soo dirto dalka Soomaaliya”ayuu maanta ka sheegay magaalada Bonn ee dalka Jarmalka wakiilkii hore ee dowladda Kenya ugu qaabilsanaa shirkii nabadeynta Soomaaliya ee ka dhacay dalka Kenya Mr. Bethuel Kiplagat . Hadalka Bethuel Kiplagat ayaa ku soo beegmaya iyadoo magaalada Jabuuti uu ka soconayo dadaal xal loogu raadinayo rabshadaha dalka Soomaaliya ka taagan. “Xabad joojin deg deg ah ayaa looga baahan yahay magaalada Muqdisho”ayuu yiri Bethuel Kiplagat . "Waxaa iminka looga baahan yahay Soomaaliya waa ciidamo nabad ilaalineed oo caalami ah, oo waliba taasina ay ku dhacdo si aad u deg deg badan, waana in si qasab ah nabad looga dhaliyo magaalada Muqdisho” ayuu hadalkiisa sii daba dhigay Bethuel Kiplagat oo ay soo xiganeysay wakaalada wararka AFP. Bethuel Kiplagat ayaa magaalada Bonn ee dalka Jarmalka kaga qeytb galaya kulan looga hadlayo kaalinta war baahinta kaga aadan dhisida nabada iyo xal u helida dagaalada. Kiplagat,waxaa uu ka dalbaday qaramada midoobay in dhinacyada Soomaaliyeed ee ku sugan dalka Jabuuti ay ku qasabto in ay heshiis nabadeed oo kama dambeyn ah saxiixaan. "Islaamiyiinta diidaya wada hadalka nabada waxaa ay dhab ahaantii isku go’doominayaan indhaha shacabka Soomaaliyeed hortooda ”ayuu yiri Bethuel Kiplagat oo intaana sii daba dhigay “Mar kasta oo ay wada hadalka diiwaan waa inta ay isgo’doomiyaan”. Kiplagat,waxaa uu sheegay in ciidamo caalami ah oo deg deg loo keeno Somaaliya ay u googol xaareyso bixitaanka deg dega ah ee ciidamada Itoobiyaanka. "Ciidamada Itoobiyaanku waa in aanay ka bixin magaalada Muqdisho iyadoo aan marka hore la helin ciidamo awood badan oo ka scda qaramada midoobay howshana kala wareega”ayuu hadalkiisa sii daba dhigay Bethuel Kiplagat . "Waxaan u baahanahay ciidamo nabad ilaalineed in la geeyo Soomaaliya si ay nabad u dhaliyaan iyagoo awood adeegsanaya shacabka Soomaaliyeedna u gaarsiiyaan gargaarka bini’aadanimo ee ay u baahan yihiin” ayuu mar kale Bethuel Kiplagat usheegay wakaalada wararka AFP. Waxaa dalka Soomaaliya ku gaajoonaya in ka badan 2 milyan oo ruux,waxaana hadii aan deg deg kaalmooyinka ay u baahan yihiin loola gaarin digniin lagu bixinayaa in lixda bilood ee inasoo aadan ay tiradaasi kor u dhaafi doonto 3.5 milyan oo ruux. Ciidamo nabad ilaalineed oo ka socday Qaramada midoobay iyo Mareykanka ayaa Soomaaliya ka baxay sanadku markuu ahaa 1995-kii,kadib markii lagu guul dareystay howlgalkoodii oo ku bilaabmay dhinaca bini’adanimada,waxaana hada la diyaarinayaa sidii mar kale howlgalkii Qaramada midoobay dib looga bilaabi laha dalka Soomaaliya. Soomaaliya waxaa hada jooga ciidamo nabad ilaalineed oo ka socda Midowga Afrika kuwaas oo tiro ahaan dhan 2,500 oo askari kana kala socda dalalka Uganda iyo Brundi,waxaana la diyaarinayaa qorshe beesha caalamku ku dooneyso in ciidamadaa booskodoalagulaabdalokuwocaalamiah. Xigasho AFP.

Shirkii Jabuuti: Kaaf iyo kala dheeri Posted to the MOL June 4, 2008, 5:25 am Waxaa wali ka socda magaalada Jabuuti shirkii dib u heshiisiinta ee u dhexeeyay dowlada KMG ah iyo qaar ka mida kooxaha isbahaysiga ee ka soo horjeeda dolwda KMG ah. Wali isma horfariisan ergada labada dhinac, waxaana ukala dabqaadaya ergayga gaarga ah ee xoghayaha qaramada Midoobay. Kooxaha Mucaaradka ee uu hogaamiyo SH. Shariif ayaa ku andacoonaya inaysan dowlada ergadeeda horfariisanayn wax xal ahna aan la gaarayn inta ciidamada Itoobiya ku jirto gudaha dalka Somaliya. Taas oo ah xujo caqabad ku ah isfaham dhex mara labada dhinac. Dhinaca dowlada KMG ah ayaa iyaguna sheegay inaysan ciidamada Itoobiya ka bixi doonin Somaliya illaa wadanka la keenayo ciidamo nabada suga oo ka socda qaramada midoobay arintaasi oo aan iminka muuqan walow marar badan beesha caalamku sheegeen inay diyaarinayaan ciidamo badala kuwa Itoobiya. Dad badan oo siyaasada Somaliya u guurgala ayaa shaki ka muujiyay xujooyinka mucaaradka, iyagoo sheegay dhibka Somaliya ka jira inuu soo socday 18 sanno, imaanshaha ama bixitaanka ciidamada Itoobiyana inaysan wax ka badalayn arimaha Somaliya illaa beelaha Somalidu heshiis dhab ah oo wada noolaansho ku dhisan gaaraan. Mudugonline.com

They have a golden opportunity to come out of isolation. The international communities patience and concentration on Somalia will not last. The targeting of their leaders such as Cayrow will continue. The weakening of TFG sympathisers of their cause such as Nur cade & Ahmed Abdisalaan will continue. Thus this group always take an opportunity to lose an opportunity. Good on them.

"Nimanka ka socda Isbaheysiga la baxay Dibu xoreynta waxa ay mudo badan soo jeediyeen Sharuudo badan ,dawladda Soomaaliyana wey ka aqbashay ,laakiin waxa ay maanta cadeysteen in ay doonayaan in ay Soomaaliya ka sii socdaan dagaalada dhibaatada ku haya Shacabka Soomaaliyeed" Ayuu yiri Masuulkan.

Jabuuti: Wafdiga dawladda Soomaaliya ee Jabuuti oo ka hadlay go'aankii Kooxaha ka soo horjeeda ee ku aadanaa Kulankii maanta. 4. juni 2008 Jabuuti(AllPuntland)- Saraakiisha dawladda Soomaaliya ka socda ee hada jooga Magaalada Jabuuti una jooga halkaasi wada hadalada dhinaca Nabadda ah ayaa siweyn uga biyo diiday go'aan ay ku adkeysteen Kooxaha ka soo horjeeda dawladda Faderaalka ee Soomaaliya. Xildhibaan C/laahi Sheekh Ismaaciil oo ka mid ah Wafdiga dawladda Soomaaliya ayaa bixitaankii kooxaha ka soo horjeeda dawladda Soomaaliya ku sheegay mid cadeynaya mawqifkoodu waxa uu yahay. Prof-ku wuxuu sheegay in aysan Mucaaradka dawladda Soomaaliya dooneyn wada hadal & Soomaalida oo heshiisa balse ay doonayaan oo kaliya in ay Soomaaliya ka sii jirto rabshado & Colaado. C/laahi Sheekh Ismaaciil ayaa ugu baaqay Umada Soomaaliyeed in ay go'aan cad ka qaataan Kooxaha ka soo horjeeda Nabadda dalka Soomaaliya oo uu sheegay in ay doonayaan in ay Soomaaliya ku sii hayaan dagaalada & Colaadaha aan laheyn yoolka. "Nimanka ka socda Isbaheysiga la baxay Dibu xoreynta waxa ay mudo badan soo jeediyeen Sharuudo badan ,dawladda Soomaaliyana wey ka aqbashay ,laakiin waxa ay maanta cadeysteen in ay doonayaan in ay Soomaaliya ka sii socdaan dagaalada dhibaatada ku haya Shacabka Soomaaliyeed" Ayuu yiri Masuulkan. Bixitaankii ay maanta ka baxeen kulan looga hadlayey Cadaalada & Dibu heshiisiinta kooxaha ka soo horjeeda dawladda Faderaalka ee Soomaaliya ayaa dad badan ay is weydiinayaan. F. C. Geylan AllPuntland

^^^Ok no one knows who Abdiqasin is. The SNM should as he was Deputy PM when the Siyad Regime bombed Hargaysa. As for the rest who cares what you think, you aint that important adeer.