The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) continues to dispute the oil deal that the country signed with a United States firm.
Somalia, through its Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, signed the deal with Coastline Exploration Ltd in February 2022.
Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, Somalia’s petroleum minister, signed the deal in Istanbul with Richard Anderson, Coastline’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Anderson has now spoken out strongly against the announcement from the government that the oil deal contravenes Somalia laws.
In an interview with the Voice of America (VOA) Somalia, Anderson said, “We signed a legally valid agreement with the Somali government.”
He further insisted that his company consulted the petroleum ministry as well as Somali Petroleum Authority (SPA) prior to signing the agreement.
“We were assured that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble were all aware of the process and had no problem with the agreement,” he said.
Anderson further clarified that all the terms of the oil agreement signed between Coastline and Somalia remain “fixed for its 30-year term.”