African oil giant Angola is illegally pumping out hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil every day from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congos waters, Congos oil minister said. Sandwiched between Angola and Republic of Congo, another African oil exporter, mineral-rich but cash-strapped Democratic Republic of Congo produces just 25,000 bpd of crude oil from onshore wells in its western Bas-Congo province.
However, in comments indicating a looming dispute over its maritime borders with what has been one of its staunchest regional allies, Oil Minister Rene Isekemanga Nkeka told Reuters much of Angolas oil production rightfully belonged to Congo. "We see that many, many, many Angolan platforms are actually Congolese platforms," he said.
"And, for that, there are international consultations and ad hoc bodies that have jurisdiction to resolve this problem if we are not able to resolve it amicably." An Angolan government source told Reuters Luanda and Kinshasa were in discussions over the issue and hoped any dispute would be resolved through bilateral diplomacy. "There is nothing concrete yet, but Angola and Congo are currently taking care of this," he said.
Angola has used oil revenues to fund an impressive economic revival after a devastating 27-year civil war and it holds the rotating presidency of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec).
Exports are due to reach 1.65 million bpd in April. Congos narrow Atlantic coastline lies between the main part of Angola and its northern enclave of Cabinda. But Congo, itself still struggling to rebuild following a 1998-2003 war, has no offshore operations of its own.
"In reality, we should have from 500,000 to 1,000,000 (bpd), if Angola wasnt there. If we recuperate, for example, nothing more than block 15, which produces 400,000 bpd, we are already at 450,000," Isekemanga Nkeka said. Angola sent troops to Congo to back the government against Ugandan and Rwandan-backed rebels during a five-year conflict that drew in a half dozen neighbouring countries.
Relations between Congo and its former enemies are thawing. Congolese President Joseph Kabila has allowed thousands of Ugandan and Rwandan troops to pursue their rebels on Congolese soil, a move diplomats say angered Angolan government officials. Congo, Uganda and Rwanda now plan to reopen embassies and re-establish full diplomatic ties.
Congos move to claim Angolan offshore oil fields comes as the former Belgian colonys economy is on the brink of collapse due to a world-wide drop in demand for its mineral exports, its main source of foreign currency revenues. "The problem is that, with the economic boom based on copper, diamonds, and cobalt, Congo completely forgot its petroleum resources," Isekemanga Nkeka said. "For a long time Angola has occupied Congolese territorial waters, flouting the Montego Bay Convention," he added, referring to the international agreement on maritime borders.
That convention, also known as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, is the main law determining maritime rights, including exclusive economic zones stretching 200 nautical miles (370 km) or more from a countrys shore. After the issue of its offshore boundaries was raised following post-war polls in Congo, the two countries signed an agreement creating a zone of common economic interest in 2007.
But Isekemanga Nkeka said this zone lay entirely within Angolan territory and held no economic interest for Kinshasa. Angola had made the gesture just to divert attention from its own occupation of a Congolese area. "Why, for what reason, would Angola make this donation, while we observe that Angola has installed itself in an international maritime zone belonging to Congo? Its to keep Congo from asking questions about this occupied zone," he said.
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