Sudan and South Sudan officials at Port Sudan. (-)

The Sudanese government has announced preparations to resume the transportation of South Sudan crude oil to the international market via Port Sudan after a pipeline rupture was fully repaired, according to Sudan News Agency.

On Sunday, a South Sudan delegation comprising Security Advisor Tut Gatluak, Petroleum Minister Puot Kang and the Director General of Intelligence Service, was in Port Sudan to meet Sudan’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Dr. Muhi-Eddin Naeem Mohamed Saeed, on preparations for the export resumption.

Mr. Saeed “stressed the eternal relationship between the two countries, describing them as one people in two countries, explaining that oil is one of the most important factors linking the two countries,” according to SUNA.

The Sudanese oil minister reiterated cooperation with his counterpart as well as technicians from both countries to monitor the flow of crude oil from South Sudan to the Red Sea ports.

Tut Gatluak reportedly stressed that oil represents a mutual benefit for the two countries, while revealing the difficult circumstances experienced by South Sudan due to the stoppage of oil exports.

“It is necessary to re-export oil to global markets, to give good news to the citizens of the two countries that all obstacles have been resolved and the pipeline is ready and the workers in the two ministries are making great, appreciating the technical efforts,” Gatluak said.

Khartoum declared force majeure in March 2024, stating it was unable to facilitate the transportation of South Sudan crude oil through the Jabalayn-Port Sudan Pipeline, citing interruptions from the ongoing conflict.

This came after one of the pipelines transporting 60% of the crude broke down in February 2024 plunging South Sudan into economic turbulence.

The dwindling oil export, which accounts for more than 90 percent of the national revenue, left South Sudan currency severely weakened against the US dollar, triggering a sharp increase in commodity prices and leaving many families struggling to make ends meet.

The situation forced Juba to consider alternative routes for transporting its crude oil, when in September, President Salva Kiir met in Beijing with the executive of a Chinese oil firm to discuss plans to build a oil pipeline through Ethiopia to Djibouti to improve declining oil production.

However, South Sudan’s petroleum ministry undersecretary, Dr. Chol Deng Thon said on October 13 that the damaged pipeline has been repaired and is fully ready for crude transportation.

Dr. Thon disclosed the development after he led a delegation to Port Sudan to assess the pumping levels and ensure that operations at Station Number 6 of the crude oil pipeline.

Citing the maintenance company, the oil official said, the pipeline is now fully repaired and ready to resume oil transportation.