Sudan’s ruling party meet to discuss post-oil shutdown economy
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June 15, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The economic sector at Sudan’s ruling
National Congress Party’s (NCP) has held a meeting on Saturday to
discuss the future of the oil industry in the country as well as the
implications of Khartoum’s decision to halt flow of South Sudan’s oil
through its territories.
JPEG - 31.2 kb
Saber Mohamed al-Hassan Khartoum’s chief negotiator on economic issues (AFP)
A week ago, Sudan’s president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir ordered the
closure of all pipelines carrying oil from landlocked South Sudan in
response to what he said was Juba’s funding of rebels fighting his
government.
The meeting has been shrouded in secrecy and was chaired by the head
of the NCP’s economic sector Sabir Mohamed Al-Hassan and attended by
the finance minister Ali Mahmoud Abdel-Rasool and the oil minister
Awad Al-jaz, as well as several other economic experts.
An informed source told Sudan Tribune that the meeting discussed some
measures to overcome the negative impact of the shutdown on Sudan’s
economy and means to avoid any further repercussions if Khartoum
failed to arrive at a common ground with Juba in the future.
Sources added that several remarks and suggestions to overcome the
current crisis were made during the meeting which has lasted for
several hours.
Sudan’s decision to stop oil flow was flanked by some degree of ambiguity.
At first, Bashir ordered immediate shutdown of oil flow, and said “The
oil of South Sudan will not pass through Sudan ever again”.
But later the Sudanese government said oil flow will be gradually
stopped within 60 days as such procedure requires to diminish its
production before it is totally shut down.
South Sudan, for its part, acknowledged that it has received two
letters informing it of the decision by the Sudanese government to
suspend economic agreements and the use of its territory to export
crude oil to the international markets.
The letters, obtained by Sudan Tribune, bear the signature of Al-Jazz
and give the effective date for the shutdown of oil flows as 9 June.
But the South Sudanese minister of petroleum and mining, Stephen
Dhieu, told reporters on Friday that "until this moment, the oil
continues to flow. The production and flowing rate has not reduced. We
have now produced and already sent seven million barrels to the
facilities within the territory of Sudan."
Minister Dau said an average of 185 barrels per day (bpd) continues to
be pumped from blocks 3 and 7, revealing that oil from these blocks
has already reached the maritime terminal at Port Sudan on the Red
Sea.
Reuters said that diplomats doubt Sudan will actually close the two
cross-border export pipelines because its economy has been suffering
without South Sudan’s pipeline fees.
Oil used to be the main source for Sudan’s budget until southern
secession in July 2011, when Khartoum lost 75 percent of its oil
production and its status as oil exporter overnight.
(ST)
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