Khartoum has again extended a self-imposed deadline to shut off its oil export pipeline to neighbor South Sudan, this time until 6 September, following what appears to have been successful lobbying from the African Union (AU) to keep Southern crude exports flowing, Sudan’s state-news agency SUNA reported.
Speaking on 12 August, Sudan’s Minister of Petroleum ‘Awad Ahmad al-Jaz told SUNA this latest two week extension materialized “after positive developments in the implementation matrix led by the AU chief mediator [Thabo Mbeki], who also brokered the extension.” This time would allow the AU to fully investigate the allegations South Sudan was supporting rebels engaged in active insurgency against the government in Khartoum from within Sudanese territory. (CONTINUED - 263 WORDS)
