In the wake of the significant fall of oil prices in the international markets, the Sudanese president has recently accepted to review the oil transit fees agreed upon with neighbouring South Sudan in September 2012.
An official source told the official news agency SUNA that “President Omer Hassan al-Bashir has directed to review of the interim economic measures with the Republic of South Sudan.
Officials in Khartoum said the measure aims to support the recovery of the new state after two years of war and it took into consideration the vertiginous drop in oil prices.
South Sudan said it has written to neighbouring Sudan, requesting it to make “rationale charges” in the wake of the current rise in global oil prices.
“Yes, we have written to the government of Sudan to accept our request to re-evaluate the charges and reduce them to meet the current oil prices in the international market”, Marial told Sudan Tribune.
He added, “We are not threatening. We are asking for dialogue within which we are asking the government of Sudan to make rationale decision”.
The minister said he recently visited Khartoum to seek support from the Sudanese government over the implementation of the peace agreement, which the Juba government signed with the armed opposition last year.
“Sudanese people are passionate and I am sure they would understand. They have accepted to dialogue and our ministry of petroleum and other relevant institutions are already following these discussions,” said Marial.
“We are also at the level of the ministry following it with the Sudanese foreign ministry through the Sudanese ambassador here. So indeed there are discussions going on and I am sure these discussions will produce something positive and results will be in the two countries’ interest”, he added.
In August 2013, South Sudan agreed to pay to Khartoum $9.10 for the oil produced in Upper Nile state and $11 for that of Unity state which produces some 20% of South Sudan’s oil. Juba also agreed to pay the Transitional Financial Assistance (TFA) to the average of the agreed oil transportation fees.
