Sudan, South Sudan agree to start oil flow within two weeks

Addis Ababa, March 13 (WIC) - Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to order the resumption of the flow of southern oil exports through pipelines in Sudan within two weeks.

The agreement came during the negotiations that were going on at the same time as the signing of the action plan on the implementation of security issues last week.

Sudan's chief negotiator, Idris Mohammed Abdel Gadir, signed a deal with his South Sudanese counterpart, Pagan Amum, setting out a timeline for resumption of oil after four days of African Union-brokered talks in Addis Ababa.

The AU High Level Implementation Panel Chairman, President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating between the two sides, told reporters that the orders for resumption will be given to companies on “D-day (March 10th) plus 14."

Meanwhile, according to an armed forces spokesperson, as agreed under the action plan, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has given orders for South Sudanese troop withdrawals from the Safe Demilitarized Zone.