South Sudan, Sudan agree on crude oil development to foster peace

By Simon Deng

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart, Abdel Fatah Al-Burhan have agreed to jointly work towards developing crude oil production as a symbol of peace and unity between the two countries.

President Kiir met Burhan in Juba on Friday.

Burhan had a stop over while returning from a meeting with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala.

“They expressively agreed to focus on cooperation along the border of our two independent republics,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs in South Sudan, Mayik Ayii Deng told reporters after the meeting.

“As starting point of this cooperation, President Kiir and Burhan agreed to set a model of peace through development of unity oil fields, including in Abyei area,” Deng said.

The two leaders also discussed the peace implementation in South Sudan, with President Kiir agreeing on a proposal submitted to him by Burhan.

“As guarantor of South Sudan revitalized agreement, President Burhan submitted to President Kiir a proposal for the unification of the necessary unified forces including the command structure for the SSPDF, SPLA-IO and SSOA,” Deng said.

“President Kiir welcomed the proposal as reflecting President Burhan’s military acumen and his commitment to lasting peace in South Sudan.