South Sudan now 6 months without oil export through Sudan
July 21, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan said Sunday it has spent six months without exporting oil through Sudan, owing to the ongoing war which has worsened its economy.
“From our knowledge, it is now six months, actually going to seven months now since we stopped exporting oil because of the conflict in Sudan, and has greatly affected our efforts to generate revenues”, a top South Sudanese official at the Ministry of presidential affairs told Sudan Tribune.
The 1st undersecretary in the Finance ministry, Malual Tap also disclosed that the country had spent six months without exporting oil through Sudan, but expressed hopes of a resumption soon.
He was speaking at the reception of the new Finance minister on July 15, 2024.
“Let me say, maybe good news but with caution and optimism. I have to approach it from Sudan, likely in one month, maybe we will be able to resume our oil exports but until then, we will continue to struggle”, said Tap.
The official said it was time the country and its leadership move forward to diversify the economy, moving away from depending on oil revenues exported to the international markets for sale through Sudan now engulfed in a raging war.
“I think it is high time for our people to move and develop other sectors so that if oil is not flowing or being affected by outside factors, we can rely on other sectors, more importantly the agriculture and the mining sectors but above all, we should switch our main focus to the most sustainable revenue we have in our country and that is non- oil revenue. We have been relying on one commodity, the oil. and as we speak today, it has been six months without exporting our oil, especially the Dar blend that used to our budget”, he stressed.
South Sudan depends largely on oil and gas export through neigbouring Sudan where conflict, which erupted in the middle of April 2023, has disrupted the flow due to the closure of some pumping stations after some oil pipelines experienced rupture and have not been repaired. The areas in which the rupture in the pipelines has occurred are in the conflict zones. Technicians require protection to conduct repairs and maintenance.
South Sudan and oil companies have been in dialogue with parties to the conflict in Sudan, but it appears challenges have not fully been resolved to permit resumption.
The military-led Sovereign Council of Sudan controls the port while the paramilitary rapid support force are operating in the area where the facilities of the pumping station are located.
Revenues from oil account for over 90 percent of South Sudan’s annual budget.
(ST)