Earlier this week, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir claimed that he would shut "forever" the oil pipeline carrying oil from South Sudan to the Red Sea coast, if South Sudan supports rebel groups operating in Sudan. He announced on state television, "I now give our brothers in South Sudan a last, last warning that we will shut down the oil pipeline forever if they give any support to the traitors in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile." Currently the Sudanese government is fighting rebel groups in at least three separate regions, and is weary of them growing in power and magnitude if they start  receiving outside support.

South Sudan's independence 2011

This raises questions for the future of Sudan and South Sudan relations when the two Presidents had only recently come to an agreement to resume oil production and transportation in South Sudan. Relations between the two nations have been tense since South Sudan gained independence in 2011, with issues such as oil production, territorial disputes and border demarcation remaining strong points of contention.

However, South Sudan officials did not seem too concerned by the threats, with the South Sudanese ambassador in Khartoum, Mayan Dut Wol, saying the President is prone to "emotional outbursts." Apparently, South Sudan crude oil is still set to arrive in Port-Sudan in mid-June after some technical glitches early last week. According to Wol,  bilateral meetings and negotations related to oil, trade and border security, have continued  since President Bashir's comments and so there seems to be little concern that he will act on his threat anytime soon. South Sudan's information minister, Barnaba Marial, reiterated that relations between Sudan and South Sudan remained stable, and that the ongoing visits between top political officials is indicative of improved bilateral relations.

President Omar Al-Bashir and South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir Mayardit at South Sudan's independence ceremony in 2011Marial commented, "I am confident that our relations with the republic of Sudan will pick up and grow because the citizens in both countries want to live in peace with each other and there are things that they need from each other. This is why the government is not relenting in efforts to consolidating the connection because the two countries are actually cognisant of the fact that healthy relations between and among people at community, national and international levels are fundamental in development." 

Hopefully, relations will only continue to improve between the two nations, as oil production slowly resumes in South Sudan. IRT continues to support a number of projects in South Sudan, aimed particularly at people affected by forced displacement in the wake of the disturbance created by South Sudan's split from Sudan, as well as refugees coming in from DR Congo.  IRT's local partners in South Sudan work hard to help them re-establish their lives.