South Sudan ‘gradually pumping less oil’: Nhial

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Sudan, Nhial Deng Nhial, has said that his country has received notification from Khartoum that the pipeline that carries their oil to Port Sudan for export, is to be shut down, effective 7 August. In a press statement, the Minister described the decision as “blackmail”, because “Juba does not have any alternative channels for oil export other than through Sudanese territory”. Nhial announced that “South Sudan has begun to gradually reduce the pumping of oil through the pipeline to reduce the impact of the closure”. On 9 June 2013, Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir ordered Oil Minister Awad Ahmed Al Jaz to block the pipeline carrying South Sudan’s crude oil to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast – the landlocked country’s only current route to international oil export markets. Al Bashir said his decree was “in response to Juba’s continued support to the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebels fighting Khartoum on multiple fronts”. Juba, however, consistently denies these allegations. Both the European Union and the USA have expressed “deep concern”. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, has warned that an oil shut-down “would have serious consequences for the viability of the two states, relations between them and the wider region”. US Ambassador Joseph Stafford: “We urged Sudan to reverse its decision, and for both Sudan and South Sudan to engage through agreed mechanisms, such as the Joint Political Security Mechanism and Petroleum Monitoring Committee in order to address and to resolve issues related to security and support to rebels.” File photo: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Sudan, Nhial Deng Nhial Halt of oil flow: ‘concerned’ EU, US urge Sudans to respect Addis treaty (12 June 2013) ‘All treaties with South Sudan cancelled’ as Khartoum vows to halt flow of oil (9 June 2013) South Sudan denies offering support to rebels (12 May 2013)