Sudan and South Sudan Discuss Resuming Oil Transportation
Sudan and South Sudan are prioritizing the resolution of issues hindering the resumption of South Sudan’s oil exports through Sudanese territory.
This discussion followed a meeting in Port Sudan between Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council and General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Tut Gatluak, South Sudan’s Presidential Advisor on National Security, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Gatluak stated that “all technical teams in both countries are prepared to increase production and ensure the flow of oil through the Sudanese port of Bashayer.” He emphasized South Sudan’s commitment to implementing agreements made with the Sudanese government.
A meeting between the ministries of energy and petroleum from both nations is anticipated to further address this matter, with Gatluak noting that “oil is a lifeline for the people of both countries.”
In March, Sudan suspended South Sudan’s oil exports due to a fault in the transportation lines, attributed to a blockage in an underground pipeline in northern Sudan’s White Nile State, an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The recent meeting follows a prior discussion in early June. Oil exports are critical for South Sudan’s national revenue, as the country relies on Sudan to transport its oil to international markets.
Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a deadly conflict between the SAF and RSF, resulting in over 24,850 deaths, according to a situation report from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project issued on October 14.
