Ikea

National Ownership. The vast majority of oil-producing countries maintain

national ownership of their oil resources. Generally, national ownership is

constitutionally protected, as in the cases of Russia, Norway, Venezuela,

Indonesia and the majority of Middle Eastern and African (MEA) oil-producing

countries. Of the fourteen MEA oil-producing countries,4 thirteen exert complete

state ownership.5 Additionally, in the MEA states, only the constitutions of Egypt,

Libya and Qatar do not contain provisions designating national ownership of oil.

Even in these three countries, however, oil resources are owned by the sovereign.

Oil-producing countries that employ national ownership over their oil

resources are characterized commonly by highly centralized governments.

Most of the Gulf States are monarchies; other Middle Eastern oil-producing

countries are highly centralized (e.g., Egypt, Iran). A significant number of the

non-Gulf States are represented by a republican form of government yet often

these governments are weak democracies (e.g., Indonesia, Russia, Venezuela),

non-democratic (e.g., Chad), de facto military dictatorships (e.g., Libya), or

marked by civil unrest (e.g., Angola).

Although a system of national ownership seems likely to reduce the potential

for regional, sectarian or ethnic conflict over oil resources, the opposite may also

result. Sovereign ownership may potentially create friction between central and

regional/provincial governments over revenue, geographic boundaries and/or

regional wealth disparities

National Ownership. Your delegation favors an oil policy which equally benefits all

Iraqis. Since Iraq’s oil resources are not spread equally throughout the country, your delegation

may advocate national ownership of oil resources as the only feasible policy that will equally

benefit the entire country. Your delegation also believes that a national oil ownership policy will

strengthen the central Iraqi government, which is...