Saudi Arabia talks of oil agreement for Sudan’s fuel crisis

Concerned cattle traders warned about the death of a number of cows on the way from Darfur to Khartoum because of a lack of water. A Sudanese minister said Saudi Arabia considers to jump in to supply Sudan’s needs for oil under a new agreement.

A number of cattle traders told Radio Dabanga that “hundreds of cows” were being transported from states of Darfur to Khartoum. “We found every water station we passed through the border of North Kordofan stalled, because of the lack of fuel [to operate the water pumps]. Other stations were specified only as drinking water for humans.”

Last week Mohamed Teirab of the Sudanese Congress Party told Radio Dabanga from Sodari in North Kordofan that the “water crisis has intensified […] where thirst caused death of livestock, especially sheep amid occurrence of severe conflicts at the water resources”.

Siddig Yousef, one of the leaders of the Central Committee of the Sudanese Communist Party, warned of the “catastrophic effects” of the current fuel crisis. In an interview with Radio Dabanga he claimed that the fuel shortages throughout Sudan have affected all cities, villages and rural areas.

“Thousands of livestock on which people rely for their livelihood are at risk of dying because there is little diesel available to use for pumping up drinking water.”

Saudi Arabia oil support
Sudanese Oil Minister Abdelrahman Osman disclosed that he is in discussion with the Government of Saudi Arabia to sign an agreement. The country will provide Sudan with about 1.8 million tonnes of oil a year, for the next five years. The deal aims to fill Sudan’s fuel consumption gap.

A source in the presidency’s office in Khartoum told Reuters the final agreement is expected to be signed within days.

The potential oil deal comes after Sudan’s defense minister told parliament last week that the government was reconsidering its military participation in Yemen, where Sudan has sent at least 3,000 ground troops to support a Saudi-led coalition.