Page 31 - Nigeriaone mag 2 edition en

Can Senegal resist the oil curse?

Senegal on a map

The oil reserves discovered in to indirectly control the resour- per distribution of the wealth
Senegal in recent years are esti- ces in the territory in question. generated by this oil and gas
mated at three billion barrels Dissident forces can thus be fi- windfall, which is a precondi-
and about 450 billion cubic nanced, trained, armed and tion for the country's emergen-
meters of gas. The country ap- equipped with war logistics to ce, and if it can meet three ma-
pears to be on the verge of be- confront the army to gain jor challenges: the challenge of
coming a major hydrocarbon access to resources. human resources, the challenge
producer. This abundance of One of the particularities of Se- of good governance, and the
resources offers the country negal is that it has all its oil blo- challenge of using the revenues,
exceptional opportunities, but cks in the high seas with an al- then there is no doubt that the
does it not come with some most balanced distribution bet- oil curse is avoidable.
risks? ween different renowned opera- Oil can be a blessing and a vec-
Most African countries with tors, such as BP, Woodside or tor of growth, given that the aut-
important natural resources are more recently, Total. The coun- horities and the people are rea-
often facing major security try seems to have taken the dy to take up all the challenges
issues mainly associated with measure of the risks involved in that will lead to the develop-
the desire to accumulate wealth this windfall and we can see an ment of all the economic sec-
and control of exploitation. anticipation on its part espe- tors.
As soon as there is the cially in the training sector. What would Saudi Arabia be
discovery of large oil reserves, Indeed, a school specifically de- without oil? A closer look shows
political disorders appear and dicated to the oil industry has that in all the countries where
quickly give rise to conflicts in already been created and will the curse of oil is mentioned,
which external forces with un- provide quality training to there are often endogenous
suspected ramifications can young people wishing to specia- causes that preceded the
interfere, maintaining and am- lize in the sector. discovery of oil.
plifying these conflicts in order If Senegal can ensure the pro-

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