South Sudan
South Sudan has agreed with its northern neighbour Sudan to repair oil infrastructure facilities destroyed by conflict within three months to boost production in Africa’s youngest country.
Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan’s information minister, told Reuters officials agreed with their visiting Sudanese counterparts to “evaluate and assess the damage” to South Sudan’s oilfields in the Heglig area in the country’s north.
“There is an agreement between the two oil ministries of the two countries. They agreed to cooperate and work together in order to repair (the damage),” he said.
South Sudan depends virtually entirely on oil sales for its revenue but production has declined since war broke out in the country in 2013.
The oil is shipped to international markets via a pipeline through Sudan.
Fighting was triggered by a political disagreement between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar and a regionally brokered peace pact failed to end the war after violations by both parties.
Officials from the two countries “agreed that within the period of three months they will repair all the oil blocks and resume oil production in the region,” he said referring to the infrastructure in the oil blocks.
The war has uprooted a quarter of South Sudan’s population of 12 million, ruined the country’s agriculture and battered the economy.
A joint force would also be established by both countries to protect the oilfields from attacks by both rebels forces in South Sudan and Sudan.
REUTERS
01:05
Ethiopia's mega-dam on the Nile is "now complete", Prime Minister says
01:12
One child displaced every five seconds in MENA region conflicts
01:49
Sudanese refugees in Chad face deepening humanitarian crisis
01:10
Young South Sudanese player selected for NBA basketball team
Go to video
UN warns of escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan amid ongoing conflict
01:52
UN's crucial humanitarian aid work faces a clouded future amid cuts in funds