South Sudan is aiming to complete the shutdown of its oil production before the end of July, ahead of a 7 August deadline set by Khartoum for companies in its territory to stop receiving crude oil from the South. This comes despite Khartoum apparently having backed down from the earlier deadline just two weeks before (MEES, 12 July).

The government of Sudan in mid-June warned its Southern counterparts that it would shut the cross-border pipeline from the Southern oil fields to Port Sudan in the North within 60 days if it did not end its support for rebel groups like the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) engaged in active insurgency against Khartoum. (CONTINUED - 838 WORDS)