South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc on Monday requested Timo Olkkonen the head of the European Union (UN) in South Sudan to help secure oil exports along the volatile Red Sea.
“The key topics discussed included the situation in the Red Sea, the European Union’s recently passed maritime security measures of February 8, and the forthcoming elections scheduled for the end of the year,” said Deng Deng Nhial, the Director General for Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in a statement issued in Juba.
The meeting comes in the aftermath of the Minister of Information, Communication, Technology and Postal Services, Michael Makuei Lueth saying recently that insecurity along the Red Sea by Yemeni-based Houthi paramilitary have blocked export of crude oil to the international markets.
“Even if the crude were to reach Port Sudan, it would still not be possible to ship it for sale due to the threat of a blockade of shipping in the Red Sea. So, apart from low production, there are physical difficulties confronting the oil sector,” said Makuei.
Nhial said that Goc emphasized the importance of the maritime security issue to South Sudan, as the country relies on the Red Sea for the transportation of goods.
He disclosed that Goc urged the EU delegation to engage with the permanent members of the United Nations and the African Union to ensure a unified approach to maritime security.
For his part, Timo Olkkonen the head of the European Union in South Sudan said that the discussion focused on regional and maritime issues of insecurity, adding that the meeting focused on resolving the threat posed by Houthi paramilitary forces on the Red Sea.
Olkkonen also underscored the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the European Union and South Sudan, adding that the EU is working to safeguard maritime traffic in the region.
“The purpose of the meeting was to address regional issues, particularly the situation in the Red Sea and the threat posed by Houthi activities in blocking international shipping,” said Olkkonen.
“The conversation also touched upon the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has intensified and caused devastating conditions for the Sudanese people, and its impact on South Sudan,” he added.
