Several oil consortiums, led by TotalEnergies, Shell, and ReconAfrica, will benefit from immense oil discoveries off the coast of Namibia in the Orange Basin, as well as in the environmentally sensitive Kavango region. ReconAfrica is facing intense scrutiny about the potential environmental implications of drilling on the Okavango Delta: a UNESCO heritage site and home to a swath of endangered species. Moreover, there have been mixed reactions among the San indigenous peoples, the predominant group in the impoverished Kavango region. Given corruption and mass inequality in Namibia, it is uncertain whether the citizens of Kavango will directly benefit.
Ethan Sanderson
Ethan is a recent MA graduate of Conflict, Security, and Development from King’s College London that specialises in armed groups, terrorism, and the security/development nexus. He also holds a degree in International Affairs and Doing Business in Emerging Markets from Northeastern University, and has lived and worked in the USA, United Kingdom, and Chile.