Southern Sudan minister joins Jarch oil group

February 27, 2008 (PARIS) — A US private investment company claiming rights over oil concessions in southern Sudan today said that a southern Sudan minister had joint its board of advisors.

Jarch Management Group Ltd announced in a press statement issued on Wednesday February 27, 2008 that Joseph Wejang, currently the Minister of Health of the Government of Southern Sudan, has joined the advisory board of Jarch Management Group, Ltd.

“Joseph has a tremendous amount of experience in the Greater Upper Nile region especially Unity State, a main hydrocarbon and mineral region, and brings this knowledge of South Sudan to Jarch.” Jarch’s statement said.

In November 2007 Jarch said that Paulino Matip Nhial, deputy commander-in-chief of the SPLA, has joined the advisory board of Jarch Management as vice chairman.

Phil Heilberg, the chairman of the US firm, which is registered in the Virgin Islands, alleges that on February 12, 2003 he signed with the SPLM contracts to explore and exploit oil in Block B in southern Sudan. He added that these contracts gave Jarch exclusive rights to all commodity contracts until 2009.

Jarch did not formulate any official demand to Sudan’s National Petroleum Commission (NPC), the country’s top decision-making body on oil matters.

This Block B was disputed pendant two years between the British White Nile and the French Total which remains the holder of the rights to explore and exploit oil in this block. The White Nile has been ousted by a decision adopted by the National Petroleum Commission on 17 June 2007.

Total teams are on the way to start very soon exploration activities and, and Sudan’s First Vice President and southern Sudan President has personally directed to provide the French oil firm the necessary facilities to resume operations.

(ST)