South Sudanese minister discusses resumption of oil production in Khartoum

June 24, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – A South Sudanese delegation has begun talks with Sudanese official on the resumption of oil production in the troubled country, as it has been agreed on the first week of this month between the two countries.

South Sudan’s Minister of Petroleum Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth is currently in the Sudanese capital with a high technical delegation to hold talks with his Sudanese counterpart Azhary Abdalla on how to work together to repair the damaged and closed oil fields.

The transitional government needs to resume oil production from the Unity region to increase the national output to 290,000 bpd and to have the means to implement recovery and rehabilitation projects in the war-ravaged country.

South Sudan heavily relies on oil income to fund up to 98% of its budget. Also, it relies on the Sudanese pipeline to export its oil production through the Red Sea.

Sudan’s Oil Minister Abdallah said the discussions are on the resumption of oil production from the fields of the Unity region and increasing the production of the fields Upper Nile region

He expected that the technical teams would travel to the different oil fields after the signing of the agreement and determine the timetables.

South Sudan says it is producing around 130,000 barrels of oil a day.

For his part, Minister Gatkuoth said that the talks come in line with the directives of the South Sudanese and Sudanese leader to resume oil production as soon as possible.

He stressed the importance of cooperation between the two countries to achieve common interests in the production of oil from the South Sudan field and export it through Port Sudan.

He further stressed that the security has been improved and the government forces are in full control situation.

During a visit to a Sudanese delegation to Juba earlier this month, the two countries a joint force to protect oil fields in Unity region.

(ST)