West Africa: The world's new Middle East

[Shahil]

If anybody is up with the news of late, it seems that a new frontier is opening up on the worlds (or America's) quest for oil.

West Africa and its vast oil reserves is slowly but surely being milked away by multinational co-ops as the Middle East runs dry in terms of oil, with governments being left in turmoil. I think it was on Sunday that I read that the multinational co-ops; names that have slipped my mind now but sounded very much like those operating in post-war Iraq, as well as other non-American oil companies; are milking the oil of West Africa while doing nothing for social or economic upliftment.

I am plainly against this. It seems that yet again, the first world is doing all it can to make itself richer while just ravaging African development - something that is barely past its teething stages. I'm envisaging a situation which will end with chaos in West Africa if restrictions aren't imposed NOW! The resources available (ie. Oil) has only been recently tapped so the first world development is still not as advanced as in the Middle East. Maybe, just maybe, something good will happen??

 

[member 5645]

If the oil is being drilled, then there is most certainly an economic uplift. These companies aren't allowed to just come in and develop oil fields for free. Now, whether or not the local government is using that money properly is a different argument, but still not one that the oil companies are responsible, or equipped, to deal with.

Ravaging African development?
I was recently on the BBC's radio program, discussing Africa's Brain drain with the host and an expert from Africa. It's quite wonderful to see who many Africans know that their problems lay within, and also understand that their solution must then lay there as well. You blame the west, however you have offered no compelling evidence outside of "I heard about some oil companies that are just taking oil". WHy don't you link us? Or some other form of actual evidence, rather than just assertions?

 

[Njorl]

It is generally more cost effective to make one tyrant rich through bribery than to pay fair market value for resources. While the wealthy nations of the west did not create these tyrannies, they do support them. Usually, the government is recognized by the international community, and the corruption is written into the code of laws for the nation. This makes it all but impossible to do anythng constructive about the problem without interfering with a sovereign nation.

Njorl

 

[member 5645]

It is generally more cost effective to make one tyrant rich through bribery than to pay fair market value for resources. While the wealthy nations of the west did not create these tyrannies, they do support them. Usually, the government is recognized by the international community, and the corruption is written into the code of laws for the nation. This makes it all but impossible to do anythng constructive about the problem without interfering with a sovereign nation.

Njorl

Then in the end, does the problem not lie with the state department, not the oil company?? The oil company is supposed to stay out of politics, but we blame them for dealing with someone that the rest of the international community refuses to sanction?