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All About Oil? S. Africa, Ethiopia To Aid In Sudan Joint Co-operation

All About Oil? S. Africa, Ethiopia To Aid In Sudan Joint Co-operation

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki and Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhan are scheduled to consult today on implementing a joint cooperation agreement between Sudan and South Sudan, according to a report in AllAfrica.

Mbeki will meet with Sudan president Omer Hassan al-Bashir, Vice President Ali Osman Taha and Sudan’s negotiating team, Sudan spokesman Abubakr Al-Sideeg said.

In June, al-Bashir ordered closure of all pipelines carrying oil from South Sudan in response to South Sudan’s funding of rebels fighting his government.

South Sudan’s oil minister Stephen Dhieu Dau said Tuesday his country will complete the shutdown of its oil production by next week.

The Sudan government says rebel groups of Darfur, Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains are harbored and supported by the South Sudanese government. South Sudan says the ongoing rebellion led by David Yau Yau in Jonglei is backed by Sudan’s authorities.

Dau said his country begged Sudan not close the pipelines, warning they could be damaged and cause a financial loss to Sudan and other investors.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit sent shockwaves through the two-year-old nation Tuesday by firing his longtime Vice President Riek Machar and dissolving the cabinet.

Sudan said it will stop oil exports Aug. 7. South Sudan responded by reducing oil output  from 200,000 barrels a day to 160,000, according to the AllAfrica report.