US Seeks African Solution to Ensure Safe Oil Coast

The US plans closer ties with African navies rather than increasing its presence along the west coast to protect oilfields to which the country is increasingly looking for its energy needs, a senior visiting US admiral says.

“We (the US Navy) are going to be more present off the west coast of Africa, but don’t get into your mind that this will be with cruisers, submarines, and flotillas,” Ulrich, who has an area of responsibility that includes Africa’s west coast, said in Pretoria yesterday.

About 14% of US oil imports are from west Africa and there are oil industry predictions that this could rise to as high as 25% within a decade.

AllAfrica