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French companies to explore for oil

    JOHANNESBURG

    A consortium of French oil companies plans to prospect for oil in Somalia. The cabinet of the TNG had approved plans by a French consortium to engage in oil prospecting in Somalia, Minister of Minerals and Water Resources Hasan Abshir told IRIN on Wednesday. The consortium, comprising TOTAL, ELF, and FINA, had approached the interim government with an exploration proposal, which was approved in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the minister said. The consortium plans to engage in off-shore oil drilling around the coast of Somalia. “They will start off from the coast of Marka, up to Kismaayo [southern Somalia]”, Hasan Abshir said. Consortium representatives are expected to travel to Somalia on 1 February to sign an agreement with the interim government. Exploration is due to begin between August and October this year, the minister added.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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