Juba, South Sudan – South Sudan and Sudan have made significant progress towards restarting the flow of South Sudanese crude oil through a pipeline running to a Sudanese port.
The resumption of oil exports is crucial for South Sudan’s economy, as it is a major source of revenue. Sudan, as the transit country, also benefits from the exports through transit fees.
In March, Sudanese officials reported disruptions in the main pipeline due to technical problems related to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
Following a recent meeting between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, it was announced that Sudanese engineers have successfully completed the necessary technical preparations for restarting oil production.
South Sudanese engineers are expected to visit Sudan in the coming weeks to assess the readiness of the facilities and initiate the restart process.
South Sudan’s Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater confirmed the breakthrough and expressed optimism about the imminent resumption of oil exports.
The resumption of oil exports is a positive development for South Sudan, which has faced economic challenges due to communal violence and disruptions in oil production. Prior to the current conflict, South Sudan had been exporting approximately 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day through Sudan.
