Sudan and South Sudan discuss oil transit and regional stability in Khartoum

July 29, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sovereign Council head and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan held talks on Wednesday with Tut Gatluak, security advisor to the president of South Sudan, to discuss oil transit and bilateral ties.

The meeting marks the highest-level discussions on oil cooperation since South Sudanese forces deployed to the Heglig oilfield late last year, following its capture by the Rapid Support Forces under a tripartite arrangement.

Located in South Kordofan State, the Heglig field houses a central processing facility with a capacity of 130,000 barrels per day for processing South Sudanese crude produced in Unity State prior to export through Sudanese territory.

Speaking after the meeting, Gatluak said the discussions focused on oil transit issues, strengthening joint cooperation, and supporting efforts toward peace and regional stability.

Gatluak added that Burhan accepted an invitation from South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to visit Juba for talks on stabilizing border regions and establishing joint commercial trade zones.

The talks in Khartoum were attended by Military Intelligence Director Mohamed Ali Sabir, General Intelligence Service Director Ahmed Ibrahim Mufaddal, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Muawiya Osman Khalid, and Sudan’s Ambassador to South Sudan Essam Karrar.

Earlier in the day, Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris met with Gatluak to explore avenues for expanding bilateral economic cooperation and enhancing political coordination between the two nations.

The high-level visits follow recent diplomatic friction between Khartoum and Juba, including Sudan’s opposition to South Sudan including the disputed Abyei area in its electoral constituencies.