Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to protect oil facilities and the central stations of the pipelines transporting South Sudan’s oil to Port Sudan in eastern Sudan.

The two sides said this in a joint statement on Monday.

The two nations pledged to enhance technical capacity, boost oil production, and ensure the protection of oil fields and key pumping stations, the statement added.

They also agreed to continue cooperation on counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and border security.

As part of efforts to deepen economic ties, the two countries announced plans to establish a joint economic committee to promote collaboration across various sectors.

This included trade, investment, energy, oil, agriculture, transportation, infrastructure, and public-private partnerships.

They proposed the creation of a free trade zone at Port Sudan, aimed at facilitating cross-border trade and investment and supporting the oil industry and its supply chains.

It will also streamline the movement of transit goods to South Sudan.

The agreements were reached during an official visit to Sudan by South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Monday Semaya Kumba.

During his stay in Port Sudan, Mr Kumba held talks with Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, and other senior officials.

Oil exports remain South Sudan’s main revenue source, and the country depends on Sudan to transport crude to global markets, with Sudan receiving transit fees in return.

(Xinhua/NAN)