The Minister of Petroleum and Mining says the government may renegotiate the financial assistance to Sudan because of falling oil prices.

The South Sudan government pays $15 to Sudan from the sale of each barrel of crude oil and nine US dollars for using the pipeline.

This is what the two countries agreed upon in the Cooperation Agreements as a means of raising three billion US dollars for financial compensation to the Sudan for the independence of South Sudan.

Stephen Dhieu Dau says the amount has become too high for the South Sudanese economy due to the decline in oil prices.

“Even the mediators, those who mediated the peace and the cooperation agreement between the two countries should have the same argument that South Sudan should not be allowed to collapse if we are losing more and it has become now in favor of Sudan,” Mr Dhieu said.

“But we will consider: we are studying how to address this $15. But for tariffs, it cannot be negotiated.”

Oil production has also been interrupted by the crisis in Unity State, where about 40% of the crude was produced before the conflict started a year ago.