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ONLF warns Poly-GCL of ‘repercussions’ over Somali oil extraction deal
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    Saturday March 15, 2025


    Somali Regional State’s Energy and Mining Bureau in a meeting with Poly-GCL representatives. Photo: Somali region Energy and Mining Bureau 

    Garowe (HOL) — The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has condemned the Somali Regional State's recent meeting with the Chinese energy firm Poly-GCL, accusing officials of facilitating "resource plunder" while disregarding the political rights of the Somali people. The group warned the company of "repercussions" should it proceed with oil and gas extraction without securing local consent.

    In a statement released Friday, ONLF asserted that any resource exploitation in the Ogaden region must have the explicit and legitimate approval of the Somali people. "If they attempt to extract oil or any other resources from Somali territory without consent, they will bear full responsibility for the repercussions," the group said.

    The Somali Regional State's Bureau of Mines, Energy, and Petroleum confirmed that officials met with Poly-GCL representatives on Thursday to discuss "operational challenges and opportunities." Bureau Head Mohamed Ali Mohamed and Deputy Head Idman Ugaas led the meeting, which concluded with an agreement to enhance collaboration. "Such meetings are important for both the bureau and the company," the bureau stated.

    ONLF, however, denounced the meeting as part of Ethiopia's "ongoing efforts to push forward oil extraction in Ogaden while ignoring unresolved Somali political rights."

    The latest development is part of a long-standing dispute over oil and gas exploration in the region. In 2018, ONLF signed a peace agreement with Ethiopia's federal government after decades of insurgency, yet tensions over resource control persist. The region, rich in hydrocarbons, has been a point of contention between Somali activists and Ethiopian authorities, with accusations that local communities are excluded from decision-making.

    ONLF claims the Ethiopian government has systematically weakened the movement through divide-and-rule tactics, including backing rival factions to fracture its leadership. The group pointed to a recent meeting in Jigjiga between Somali regional officials and a breakaway ONLF faction as an example of Ethiopia's alleged attempts to sideline the movement.

    "They create divisions by backing individuals who claim to have ousted the leader, and then they tell both sides, 'We recognize you both, so reconcile among yourselves,'" ONLF Chairman Abdikarim Sheikh Mohamed Mahdi (Maaday) told BBC Somali, calling the move a violation of the 2018 agreement.

    The accusations follow years of ONLF grievances over Ethiopia's handling of the peace deal. The group contends that the federal government has failed to reintegrate former ONLF fighters, blocked their legal political participation, and used economic restrictions to suppress Somali political voices.

    Mustafe Mohamed Omar (Cagjar), President of Ethiopia's Somali Regional State, rejected ONLF's claims, stating that the government has implemented significant reforms. "In the past, our people suffered from oppression and lack of freedom. Today, those struggles have mostly ended, and people now enjoy freedoms they never had before," Cagjar said.

    He dismissed ONLF's allegations of government-backed divisions within the group, asserting that ONLF's internal disputes are of its own making. "Freedom has led to some strange situations, like a political party blaming its rival for splitting them apart or an unstructured group demanding government funding, then threatening to expose state failures if they don't get it," Cagjar remarked.

    The ONLF's warning to Poly-GCL comes as it expands its resource extraction in contested regions, which has sparked tensions with various ethnic groups. Security analysts warn that escalating tensions in the Somali region could further destabilize Ethiopia, which is already contending with multiple internal conflicts. Clashes between federal forces and the Fano militia in Amhara, persistent violence in Oromia, and political disputes in Tigray continue to strain the central government.

    ONLF's threat to take action against Poly-GCL could complicate Ethiopia's plans for energy sector expansion. If tensions escalate, Ethiopia may face renewed instability in the Somali region, further challenging Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration.

     





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