Obasanjo may mediate Lake Nyasa dispute

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo could be angling for a
mediation role in the Lake Nyasa border conflict between Tanzania and
Malawi. Mr Obasanjo is reported to have gone to Lilongwe in early June
to meet President Joyce Banda.

According to the latest issue of the influential Africa Energy
Intelligence Report, talks between Joyce Banda and Mr Obasanjo were
dominated by the Lake Nyasa dispute. The newsletter said the former
president, who ruled Nigeria between 1976 and 1979 and between 1999
and 2007, also intended to visit President Jakaya Kikwete before the
end of July to secure a diplomatic solution.



But the reports noted that Mr Obasanjo, who played mediator in the
Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009 at the request of the United
Nations, has intervened in Malawi in a strictly private capacity.
Tanzanian officials were unavailable for comment yesterday.

Diplomatic tension has mounted between the two countries over the
border of the lake, with Malawi laying claim to all of it. The lake is
called ‘Nyasa’ or ‘Malawi’ in that country and it has reportedly
signed oil exploration agreements in the waters.

Several mediation efforts are ongoing, including one led by former
Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano.

Africa Energy Intelligence Report says that President Banda appeared
somewhat discouraged by the developments. She is reported to have said
that talks with Tanzania had bogged down and the chances of avoiding
international arbitration were fast dwindling.

The newsletter said, however, that the former Nigerian leader has been
known to mix international mediation and business.

“This was the case, for instance, when he backed energy exploration
firm Chevron in its bid to build a gas pipeline between Cabinda’s
offshore and Soyo in Angola by way of a section passing through DRC
waters. Obasanjo introduced Chevron Angola’s boss, Alan Kleier, to DRC
President Joseph Kabila to settle the issue,” said the report.

In 2011, Malawi awarded the Franco-British company Surestream an
exploration contract on blocks 2 and 3 in the northern section of the
lake, prompting Tanzania’s protest.