Americans have unhealthy obsession with the issue of breastfeeding.

By Kelly Gilblom Reuters May 11, 2012 Nairobi - A dispute between two semi-autonomous regions in Somalia is delaying exploration for oil and gas over fears that local authorities are issuing licences to explore blocks that overlap in each other's territories, officials said. East Africa has become a hot spot for oil and gas exploration after new finds in waters off countries including Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique. The boom has led to speculation about the potential for finding oil offshore Somalia in the Horn of Africa, which so far has no proven hydrocarbon reserves. "Put it this way: Puntland and Somaliland have what's called 'disputed areas.' It's really created a quagmire," said Ali Abdullahi, the chief executive officer of Amsas Consulting, a Somali firm that advises private oil firms in the region. Somaliland, which declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 but is still not recognised internationally, has been relatively stable compared with other parts of the country, which has lacked effective central government for two decades. Although Puntland is also stable, it is notorious for piracy and has frosty relations with Somaliland. Both regions claim they control a disputed area known as Sool, Cayn and Sanaag (SSC). Within that zone lie nearly a dozen oil blocks, mostly unlicensed, demarcated by Puntland and Somaliland authorities, according to a map from data firm IHS. Companies are unsure whether their contracts with the local authorities to drill wells will remain valid. The dispute between Somaliland and Puntland mirrors another between Kenya and Somalia over their maritime border, which may also deter oil exploring firms. In March, Canadian firm Horn Petroleum, and its exploration partners, including Vancouver-listed Africa Oil Corp., started drilling in the Dharoor Block, located in the northeast part of Puntland. Oil consultant Abdullahi and other Somali oil analysts have claimed, furthermore, that any find by Horn Petroleum in Dharoor may be threatened by the fact that state-controlled Italian explorer Eni may still have legal rights to the block. Eni was issued a license by the Somali government in the 1980s to explore Dharoor. Both Eni and Horn Petroleum declined to comment. OVERLAPPING CLAIMS Additionally, another block licensed by Horn Petroleum and its working partners in the western part of Puntland, known as the Nugaal Block, overlaps a block licensed by Somaliland to unlisted British explorer Asante Oil. "We are aware that there are overlapping claims in the Nugaal block but don't wish to comment publicly," said Keith Hill, chairman of Horn Petroleum, in an email to Reuters. "We believe this is a matter best resolved directly by the respective parties." Asante Oil could not be reached for comment. For their part, Somaliland and Puntland each deny they have encroached on the other's territory. They blame the other side for licensing blocks in areas that don't belong to them. "There were a lot of stories about overlapping licenses, (but) it is clear that Somaliland doesn't make any claim beyond the colonial borders that were demarcated," Hussein Du'ale, the minister of mineral resource, energy and water, told Reuters. In an interview in Puntland's capital Hargeisa he said the Nugaal Basin, where the Nugaal Block is located, is 80 percent owned by Somaliland, and the licenses issued by Puntland authorities to the same stretch of land are invalid. "We recognize that there is license given by the administration of Puntland, which claims that this is part of their territory," Du'ale said "If you look at the colonial border this goes deep into Somaliland territory. We don't ... claim areas in Puntland, and we hope that our brothers will reciprocate." Issa Mohamud Farah, Puntland's petroleum director, who is in charge of oil exploration, was unavailable to comment. Without a central government, analysts said it is unclear how and when the potential oil and gas reserves believed to be in Somalia can be explored. "The (Somali) federal government has been weak for a very long time," said Abdullahi, the oil consultant. "That leaves the question of who's right and who's wrong here? It's so hard to know." (Additional reporting by Husein Ali Noor in Hargeisa; Editing by James Macharia and Jane Baird) Source: Reuters

lool@eedo hilary

Click

I have concluded AT is functioning schizophrenic.

^Where have you seen little ladies screaming? Odd thing to say.

A nation off illiterates and self-serving politicians and no institutions to educate the public.

Amazing and here you have maryooley deluding themselves into believing Ethiopia is interested in peace and is helping Somalia or recognizing Somaliland.

looool@Showqi, it's obvious he's not Somali. Maybe he's speaking Xaaji's Somalilandish People like him should refrain from commenting on politics in the South:D

God help us-the ignorance

Itoobiya waa walaalaheen:-)

There's argument to be made for that but your approach is wrong.

lool...I guess she showed him who's the man:D

SHEEKH AXMED DHICISOOW: "Maalinta Jimcaha ah waxaa dhacaya Mudaaharaad looga soo horjeedo dastuurka cusub" Arbaco, May 09, 2012 (HOL) — Guddoomiyaha majmaca culummada Soomaaliyeed, Sheekh Axmed Dhicisoow ayaa sheegay in maalinta Jimcaha ah ee soo socota uu Muqdisho ka dhici doono dibabax looga soo horjeedo dastuurka cusub ee Somalia oo uu muran badan ka taagan yahay. Sheekh Dhicisoow ayaa sheegay in dastuurkan uu yahay mid uga daran shirkii Baarliin ee lagu qaybiyay Soomaaliya, isagoo xusay in qodobbadiisa ay ka mid yihiin kuwo lagu doonayo in Soomaaliya loogu qaybiyo boqol qaybood. "Maalinta Jimcaha ah waxaa dhacaya mudaaharaad ay ka qaybgalayaan hal milyan oo qof oo looga soo horjeedo dastuurka cusub ee Soomaaliya, waxaana qabnaa haddii sidan lagu ansixiyo inuu khatar weyn ku yahay dalka iyo dadka," ayuu yiri Sheekh Dhicisoow. Guddoomiyaha Majmaca Culummada Soomaaliyeed ayaa hadalkiisa ku daray inay mudaaharaadkooda Dowladda kaga codsanayo adduunka ku ogeysiinayaan waxa ay doonayaan. Ma ahan markii ugu horreysay oo ay hay'adaha culummada Soomaalida ay kasoo horjeestaan dastuurka cusub ee Soomaaliya oo ay ku tilmaameen mid ay ku jiraan qodobbo badan oo ka horimaanaya diinta Islaamka. Lama oga sida uu ku qabsoomi karo dibadbaxa ay culummadu sheegeen inay uga soo horjeedaan dastuurka, iyadoo xukuumadda KMG ah ay toddobaadkii hore soo saartay digniin ku saabsan inaan la qaban karin shirar iyo dibadbaxyo aan lagu soo wargelin. Maxamed Xaaji Xuseen, Hiiraan Online maxuseen@hiiraan.com Muqdisho, Soomaaliya

I thought this was something Adam wrote.

NGONGE is secessionist dream crusher and enemy of the state-pay no attention to him Adam

Adiga iyo MMA macalinaa tihiin:D

Gabdhaha xaada leh miyaa...what was there Cumar Dhuule song with that line?

Xiin....I worked with Armaan few times and had lively discussion about the TFG and Somalia, nobody wants for this transition to end more than him but he has legitimate concerns about the constitution being proposed and its ramifications in the short and long term. Dismissing those concerns is mistake. He's no warlord and war profiteer hence has no desire for the chaos to continue.

lool...I was gonna what sort of this Xadiis is that. Stop hating the woman guys

Arman is sincere person and have no ulterior motives, Using broad-brush to discredit everyone opposing elements of the draft will be mistake.

She stole the show

Your screws are coming off slowly.

Somalia is in disadvantaged position if negotiations were start with its northern secessionists. The best option is to empower friendly northern tribes and use them as on obstacle to Hargeysa's ambitions till such time things are favorable to Somali proper.

^Touche' But you are not part the 'few'