End Of Territorial Row: South Sudan restarts oil production

THARJATH: South Sudan restarted oil production Saturday, ending a bitter 15-month row with former civil war foe Sudan and marking a major breakthrough in relations after bloody border clashes last year. “The oil is now flowing,” South Sudan oil minister Stephen Dhieu Dau shouted as he flicked a switch to restart production at a ceremony in the Thar Jath field in Unity state. South Sudan won independence from Sudan in July 2011. At independence, South Sudan won control of roughly 75% of the 470,000 barrels per day of crude produced by the formerly unified country. South Sudan halted crude production in early 2012, cutting off most of its revenue after accusing Khartoum of theft in a row over export fees. Oil deals agreed between Juba and Khartoum are worth between $1 billion and $1.5 billion annually in transit fees and other payments for Sudan, an international economist has estimated. “This is a sign of peace,” Dau said, as crowds danced in celebration.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2013.

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