Sudan has lifted a nearly year-long force majeure on the transportation of crude oil from its neighbor South Sudan to a port on the Red Sea, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
The decision comes after security conditions have shown improvement following the ongoing conflict in the country.
The force majeure, declared in March 2024, was implemented due to disruptions in the main pipeline carrying oil from South Sudan through Sudan for export.
These disruptions were linked to the ongoing conflict between the General Abdel Fattah al Burhan-controlled SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In a letter dated January 4th, Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum informed South Sudan’s energy minister of the decision, citing new security arrangements reached with Juba and BAPCO, the Sudanese company operating the pipeline.
The Petrodar pipeline, a vital infrastructure project, transports oil over 1,500 kilometers from South Sudan’s Upper Nile state to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast.
This development comes after South Sudan recently held a tender for crude oil cargoes to be delivered in January, signaling a potential resumption of oil exports.
Prior to the conflict, South Sudan exported around 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day through Sudan. However, the ongoing conflict has severely impacted the country, leading to widespread displacement and a humanitarian crisis.