The governments of Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to refrain from backing proxy rebels to allow the continued export of South's crude through Sudan, giving a potential lifeline to their respective economies, officials said Tuesday.
At the end of two days of talks in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, delegations from the two oil producing nations agreed to support efforts aimed at restoring peace in their respective border regions.
The agreement is a major breakthrough in relations for the two formerly united countries, which appeared headed for the worst three weeks ago, after Sudan threatened to block oil exports from the South, accusing Juba of backing rebels in its territory. "Both sides agreed to resume the immediate implementation of the September 2012 cooperation agreements" said Rabie Abdelaty, the Sudanese government spokesman.
"Disagreements arising from the implementation will be referred to the joint implementation committee." The spat threatened to choke at least 200,000 barrels-a-day of oil shipments from South Sudan, which just returned to the international market on Sunday after an 18-month shutdown, amid a litany of disputes between the two nations.
The measures agreed by the two nations to restore peace include severing ties with armed groups as well as promoting dialog between the warring parties, Mr. Abdelaty said. But diplomats say deep rooted mistrust remain a major impediment.