Tue Sep 17 05:45:33 UTC 2024: ## South Sudan and Sudan Near Agreement to Restart Oil Exports
**JUBA, South Sudan** – South Sudan and Sudan have made significant progress towards restarting the flow of South Sudanese crude oil through a pipeline running to a port in Sudan. The resumption of exports, a crucial source of revenue for South Sudan, is expected to occur soon, according to officials from both countries.
The main pipeline was shut down in February due to damage caused by the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. The stoppage has had severe consequences, including environmental contamination and contributing to higher food prices in Sudan, where millions face extreme hunger.
After a meeting in Juba between South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, both sides agreed to develop an operational plan for restarting oil flows. Sudanese engineers have completed the necessary technical preparations, while South Sudanese engineers are expected to visit Sudan in the coming weeks to assess the readiness of the facilities.
“There has been a breakthrough, and (news of) it will come to public very soon,” said South Sudan’s Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater.
The restart of oil exports is crucial for South Sudan’s struggling economy, which has been burdened by communal violence, the 2013-2018 civil war, and the recent export disruptions due to the war in Sudan. Before the shutdown, South Sudan was exporting around 150,000 barrels per day through Sudan. This represents a significant reduction from the peak production of 350,000 to 400,000 barrels per day before the civil war.
The agreement to resume oil flows is a positive development for both countries and could alleviate some of the economic and humanitarian pressures they are facing.
First Piper 