The Global Scramble for the Nomads’ Backyard

The book is about the exploitation of the natural energy resources in the Ogaden Basin by foreigners without the consent of the Somali Region’s indigenous inhabitants. The exploitation started over a century ago and continues to the present day. The scramble for the geological resources in the Ogaden Basin, the consequent menace and how to repair the damage resulting from the scramble are the main topics of the book.

The history section details the history of the scramble and its consequences for the Somali Region, for the Horn of Africa and for world peace. Recommended remediation measures for the scramble based on legal economic and environmental considerations follow that historical overview. The remedy aims to redress the negative impacts of the scramble and also construct a management framework that can lead to the optimal utilisation of the natural energy resources in the region.

The book presents the management frameworks of the oil and gas industries of Norway and Nigeria as lessons in natural energy resource management. The models of these two countries are contrasting experiments in terms of success, but both provide useful lessons.

The book ends with an ongoing discussion in the forum regarding the future of the oil and gas resources in the Somali Region. The forum under the tree is a continuous debate forum exclusively attended by the indigenous inhabitants who aim to protect the region’s natural resources and environment and ensure optimal utilisation of the resources.