Sudan and South Sudan Sign Pact to Protect Oil Pipeline, Critical Oil Infrastructure

Sudan and South Sudan have signed a comprehensive bilateral agreement to safeguard vital oil infrastructure, including pipelines, enhance border security, and strengthen economic ties.

The accord announced on Monday, October 6, followed three days of intensive talks in Port Sudan during a high-level visit by South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Semaya Kumba.

In a joint statement released Monday, both nations committed to protecting critical oil pipelines, the main pumping stations, and oil facilities that transport South Sudanese crude to the Red Sea. 

The agreement outlines measures to boost production, develop technical expertise, and secure energy infrastructure across the region.

Officials emphasized the critical importance of the pipeline running through Sudan, calling it a vital economic lifeline. South Sudan is heavily dependent on oil exports for revenue, while Sudan benefits from transit fees collected from the flow of crude to international markets.

The pact also includes provisions for counterterrorism collaboration, intelligence sharing, and coordinated border security operations to combat armed groups and smuggling networks along the shared frontier.

During her visit, Kumba met with Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, and other senior officials. Discussions also focused on reviving bilateral trade and investment, which had been disrupted by Sudan’s ongoing conflict earlier this year.

As part of the renewed cooperation framework, the two countries agreed to establish a Joint Economic Committee to promote collaboration in trade, investment, energy, agriculture, transportation, and infrastructure. Plans for a free trade zone in Port Sudan were also proposed.

Analysts view the agreement as a pragmatic step toward restoring trust and safeguarding the shared economic interests of both nations, noting that the talks underscored the need to preserve regional peace and stability.

Sudanese political analyst Hatim Ayoub Abu El Hassan told Radio Tamazuj that “this is a diplomatically substantial engagement, particularly given the severe internal pressures both governments are facing.” 

El Hassan added that the talks “appear to be an effort to address long-standing friction points and create a more predictable framework for cooperation.”

Source: https://www.pipeline-journal.net/news/sudan-and-south-sudan-sign-pact-protect-oil-pipeline-critical-oil-infrastructure