The Sudanese Minister of Petroleum and Energy said that protesters have blocked two key oil pipelines in Port Sudan.
AlTaghyeer: Agencies
According to AFP, The Minister of Petroleum, Jadein Ali Obaid, revealed that the government is currently in talks with protesters to end the blockade that has halted shipment of South Sudanese oil from Port Sudan and is threatening both nations’ economies.
The protests come on the heels of the native administrations in east Sudan announcing their plans to sequester the region from the rest of the country in protest over the “eastern track” initiative in the Juba peace deal.
Last week, the Supreme Council of Beja Tribal Leaders and independent mayors announced the escalation of efforts to pressure the central government in Sudan to abolish the “eastern track” in the Juba Agreement due to it being unfavorably received by citizens of east Sudan.
The protesters began closing down roads and passageways that connect the eastern part of Sudan with Khartoum.
“Both entrances and exits at the port’s exports terminal have been entirely closed since Saturday,” Jadein said.
The Council of Beja Tribal Leaders in Sudan have long voiced dissatisfaction with the Juba Peace Agreement’s “northern track”, explaining that the part of the peace deal that addresses issues in the east does not represent them.
Bloomberg reported on Friday that the government in South Sudan had announced that it may consider suspending oil output if the port protests – which have halted part of the port’s operations, specifically with oil being shipped to South Sudan being unable to be loaded – persist.
