Djibouti: U.S. Sees Base As 'Central' to Its Plans

The recent rescue of two hostages in Somalia by US Special Forces highlights the strategic significance of the American installation in Djibouti, which is being touted as a model for future US bases in Africa and elsewhere.

Camp Lemonnier, established in 2003 as the home of the Pentagon's Combined Joint Task Force/Horn of Africa, was described by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta during a December visit to Djibouti as "the central location for continuing the effort against terrorism."

A month later, the former French colonial base served as the launching pad for the helicopter raid organised by the US Africa Command that killed nine Somali pirates and freed their American and Danish captives. The success of that mission was hailed last week by Michele Flournoy, the Defence undersecretary for policy. In a speech at a National Security Symposium in Washington, Ms Flournoy suggested that Camp Lemonnier exemplifies the new ways in which the US intends to project its power around the world. A US military strategy for the coming years outlined recently by President Barack Obama puts emphasis on developing "innovative, low-cost and small-footprint" operations as Washington pursues "new partnerships with a growing number of nations, including those in Africa and Latin America."

Instead of mobilising massive military deployments such as those in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Pentagon will seek to economise during the next decade while still applying its muscle in support of American interests.

Development of more bases similar to but perhaps smaller and less conspicuous than Camp Lemonnier is consistent with the US objective of paring its military budget but remaining capable of intervening quickly and decisively throughout the developing world. Camp Lemonnier's growing prominence reflects its acquired role as the de facto operational centre in Africa for Africom, the US military command that is formally headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.

Soon after its launch five years ago, Africom undertook an embarrassingly unsuccessful round of consultations with African leaders concerning establishment of a permanent presence somewhere on the continent for the new military command. Liberia was the only black African country that publicly offered to host Africom. It has since become clear, however, that Djibouti is willing to serve unofficially in that capacity. Some of the approximately 3,500 US personnel stationed at Camp Lemonnier carry out civic-engagement missions similar to the "hearts and minds" initiatives undertaken as part of the US war in Vietnam.

These doctors, veterinarians and engineers regularly provide health services and help improve local infrastructure in East Africa. Last month, for example a Combined Joint Task Force medical unit worked with Tanzanian health personnel in delivering care to some 2,100 women and children in and near Mtimbwani. But Camp Lemonnier's primary purpose is to combat militants in much of Africa that are judged to pose a threat to US interests and allies.

At the same time, Africom is increasingly overseeing fighting forces after having initially emphasised its "soft power" attributes. Africom's debut as a formidable military machine came when it directed the US air war in Libya that proved instrumental in achieving regime change there.

Djibouti, a country of less than a million inhabitants, has given the United States the option to lease Camp Lemonnier until at least 2020. Led by President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Djibouti's government welcomes the US military presence, which provides the poor country with an important source of revenue. Djibouti is also closely allied with Ethiopia, which ranks as a key US strategic partner in East Africa.

KPC Managing director Selest Kilinda said facilities planned for Nairobi would be completed and commissioned by the end of 2014 before embarking on similar projects in other major urban centres a year later. "KPC is focusing on development of LPG facilities in Nairobi. We intend to commence construction work in the year 2013 and commission the facilities by the end of year 2014. Phased development of other inland facilities should commence in the year 2015," he told the Business Daily.

The cost of the bulk LPG import handling, storage and distribution facilities in Mombasa was estimated at $28.6 million while that of establishing the inland facilities was put at $43.3 million. "The cost of putting up the facilities would be much higher now given the rise in costs of construction materials and equipment," Mr Kilinda said. Besides boosting the LPG storage capacity, Kenya also plans invest up to Sh 100 billion to develop a strategic national petroleum reserve to stabilise supplies.

Rwanda: Dutch Officials Tour Musanze - A team of officials from the Dutch embassy in Kigali yesterday visited several areas of Musanze District to assess the economic development and priority areas that may need support.

South Sudan: Govt in Talks With Texas Company On Oil Pipeline SUDAN TRIBUNE 8 February 2012

Dallas — The government of South Sudan is in talks with a Texas-based company to explore options for building an oil pipeline which would serve as an alternative to the one passing through the territories of Sudan. According to South Sudan information minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin, the unidentified company could start working the project in as soon as six months. He offered no further details.

The official further said that South Sudan had signed a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia to construct an oil pipeline passing through Djibouti. A source close to the Juba government said that Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi gave his approval to the idea. It is not clear if Djibouti did the same yet. Eritrea is also an option on the table even though its president Isaias Afewerki has yet to respond. Last week, the former Sudan oil minister Lual Deng said that exporting the oil through Djibouti would be a shorter distance than using the established pipeline going all the way from South Sudan to the Red Sea.

South Sudan minister said that Toyota Company has started feasibility studies on the Lamu pipeline project which was signed recently with Kenya.

Days after the East African nation abolished subsidies in the energy sector, prompting a huge rise in the cost of electricity, the potenial financiers, including the Germany Development Bank, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, stated that it was not realistic that the water flow at Karuma would sustain the generation of 700 MW. They argued that it did not make economic sense for Uganda to invest heavily in the project when it was clear the plant would only achieve full capacity during specific periods. The project has a $1.3-billion price tag. They also contended that the feasibility study, commissioned by the Uganda government, did not “comprehensively capture the project’s complex technical, financial and environmental issues”. The feasibility study was undertaken by Energy Infratech, of India.

Instead of proceeding with the project, the would-be financiers want the plant scaled down to between 400 MW and 450 MW. They have also offered to finance another feasibility study into the project. But Uganda, which has identified the planned power plant as one of the high-priority projects in its National Development Plan and as the ultimate solution to Uganda ’s persistent energy problems, has vowed to proceed with construction, even if the lenders withdraw their support.

Although Uganda is confident it can raise the $1.3-billion required for the project, even if the current would-be financiers refuse to participate, projections show the cost of the project could surge to $2.2-billion by the time it is completed, an eventuality that might see the project stall midway. The project will entail the construction of a 600 MW to 700 MW hydropower facility located about 3 km upstream of the Karuma bridge and 80 km downstream of Lake Kyoga, on the Nile river.

"This is the only project funded by the World Bank Biomass Energy Initiative for Africa in the category of increasing power capacity with bioelectricity as a pilot that will be replicated not only in Uganda but Africa as a whole,"

In the plan, localities such as Wum, Jakiri, Foumban, Limbe, Kribi-Lolabe and, even Kousseri in the northernmost tip of the country would be served with railways. Of course, the new minefields, especially in the East Region, are being given pride of place. These include Gamboula, Mintom and Ngoyla where iron ore has been discovered in huge quantities and mining virtually started.

In the very short term, two projects are envisaged: Douala-Limbe (73.5 kms) and Douala-Ngaoundere (907.5 kms) for which feasibility studies are already on and should end this year, 2012. In the middle term, the towns of Kousseri, Kumba, Wum, Gamboula, Foumban, Bafoussam, Mora, Ngoyla, Jakiri and Mintom will benefit from this new mode of transport. The new plan is designed to ensure an effective link with Cameroon's immediate neighbours and even beyond, extending to Angola and the DRC.

The project is attracting sums that have never been heard before or which are even difficult to decipher. The total for all the envisaged projects is an unpronounceable figure of FCFA 14,976.5 Billion (or FCFA 14,976,500,000,000)

With regard to financing, development partners are handy and are warming up to take the projects under the BOT (Build Operate and Transfer) system.

On the other hand, the provision of these railway lines is a condition sine-qua-non for the realisation and sustenance of some of the huge mining and deep sea port projects which are part of efforts to raise Cameroon to an emerging economy status by 2035. Beyond that, new lines are also planned for areas with intensive agriculture and stockbreeding which will see farm and animal products easily getting to markets.

A decade ago Gabon set aside 10% of its land for national parks. It wanted to become Africa's version of Costa Rica - a magnet for eco-tourists. But turning Gabon's natural assets into tourist cash has been tougher than expected.

"They're body-surfing in the waves, it's quite amazing." So says my guide, Wynand Viljoen, as he recalls seeing hippos along this part of the Atlantic coast of Africa, just south of the equator. This is what led National Geographic, in a 2004 article, to call Gabon "the land of the surfing hippos".
"It looks even weirder if you see the elephants," says Mr Viljoen. And you often do see elephants on the beach. All sorts of animals wander this rare stretch of undeveloped coast. Just inland, Mr Viljoen shows me forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, red river hogs, and fresh leopard tracks in the sand. This is Loango National Park, one of 13 Gabonese national parks established by presidential decree in 2002, and which cover 10% of the whole country.

In 2008, the British Guild of Travel Writers named Loango the top new tourist destination in the world. But then, two years ago, Loango Lodge shut down. "As a pioneer, it became victim to the fact that Gabon wasn't really ready," says Lee White, a British-born biologist who pushed for the creation of Gabon's national parks and helped launch the tourist and conservation effort at Loango. Now he is director of Gabon's national park service.

"When you're trying to move a country that has no experience with tourism to become a tourist-friendly country, there are huge challenges," he says. Transport in Gabon is unreliable. Hassles with police and immigration officials are common. Investor Rombout Swanborn says, for some time, he was able to circumvent these problems. He bought his own planes and flew tourists directly to Loango from throughout the region. But Mr Swanborn says he faced problems with Gabon's civil aviation authority, an agency considered so ineffectual by the European Union, it put Gabon on an air safety blacklist. "Before they do anything at all, they ask you for a lot of money," says Mr Swanborn. He says he refused to give money when officials asked for it. "We were not ready to pay an extravagant additional tax. We knew it wouldn't benefit the country - let's put it that way." The government grounded his planes. Mr Swanborn tried to bring tourists to Loango by other means, involving a four-hour boat ride down the coast, followed by a car ride on pot-holed roads. But that proved too inconvenient and time-consuming for many tourists. Bookings dried up and the lodge shut down.