Sudan oil minister heads to Juba for talks over oil transit fees

February 2, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese oil minister Wednesday will hold talks with his South Sudanese counterpart on the review of oil transit fees

When the two countries struck a deal on oil transit fees in 2012, the world oil price had been stable at around $110 a barrel. But Since June 2015 princes have been cut roughly by more than 70 per cent.

As a result of this unprecedented fall of oil prices in the international market, Juba and Khartoum agreed to review the deal which gives Khartoum over $9 per barrel in addition to $15 as a transitional financial arrangement.

South Sudanese Ambassador in Khartoum Mayan Dot Waal announced that Sudanese oil minister Mohamed Zayed Awad, will fly to Juba on Wednesday for talks with his counterpart Stephen Dhieu Dau to discuss oil transportation fees via the Sudanese pipelines.

Waal who is travelling with Awad to Juba, further said the two ministers will discuss the resumption of oil production from Bentiu state which stopped since more than a year due to the South Sudanese conflict.

Presidents Omer al-Bashir and Salva Kiir recently expressed their will to normalize bilateral ties and settle the different disputes that caused tensions between the two countries since the secession of South Sudan.

In an interview with France 24 last Monday, al-Bashir said the outstanding issues between the two countries are not resolved. But, he pointed to the humanitarian and economic effects of South Sudan’s crisis, adding he was the president of unified Sudan for over 20 years and he has to behave in the interest of South Sudanese people.

(ST)