South Sudan seeks Khartoum's support to end civil war

President Salva Kiir of South Sudan concluded his visit to Khartoum on Wednesday after concluding discussions with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, in which he sought Sudan's support in resolving the civil war in the southern country.

The official purpose of the visit was to discuss the war in South Sudan and exports of South Sudanese oil through a pipeline to Sudan. The visit was also allegedly designed  to send the diplomatic message that dialogue between the two countries is ongoing.

Kiir's private talks with Bashir lasted just under an hour, while high level officials in Kiir's delegation attended separate meetings with their northern counterparts. Kiir was only scheduled to be in Khartoum for a few hours, but was forced to delay his return to Juba for 24 hours due to a technical problem with his plane.

Relations between the two Sudans have been tense since South Sudan's independence. Khartoum and Juba have traded accusations of supporting and harbouring armed opposition groups.

Fuelling violence

Juba's claim that Khartoum was logistically and financially supporting the armed opposition in the south led by Riek Machar, the former vice-president of South Sudan, was discussed, a source told al-Araby al-Jadeed.

We want both states to move forward together, supporting each other and addressing all their economic and security problems.

Juba is reportedly convinced Khartoum is fuelling its civil war, and Kiir's visit was an attempt to get Sudan’s support for a possible resolution of the conflict.

Rogue commanders among Machar's forces - reportedly backed by Khartoum - have repeatedly violated agreements Machar himself had agreed to.

Kiir is expected soon to sign a draft peace agreement with Machar that would grant some concessions and require coordination between Juba and Khartoum. 

A new prime ministerial position will be adopted, and a federal system of governance installed, according to al-Araby's sources.

Oil production

Juba has called on Khartoum not to shut down the oil pipeline from South Sudan, which Khartoum says is not economically viable. South Sudan's oil production has declined recently with the rebel takeover and disruption of oil fields in Unity State. The government in Juba has also had to shut down a number of oil wells as workers fled the violence.

According to a statement released at the end of the talks, the two presidents resolved to press on with implementing the nine cooperation agreements signed between the two Sudans in Addis Ababa in September 2012.

They also pledged to resume work this month to more fully demarcate the border and the buffer zone between them, an issue Khartoum accuses Juba of delaying. The joint statement also called for the activation of joint monitoring mechanisms and mutual cooperation to prevent either side supporting or hosting opposition groups.

"We want both states to move forward together, supporting each other and addressing all their economic and security problems," Kiir told reporters at the airport shortly before leaving Khartoum.

Pulling a stunt?

Luka Biong, the director of the Centre for Peace and Development Studies at the University of Juba, said Kiir’s visit to Khartoum was a diplomatic stunt.

"[It was intended] to reassure the people of the two countries that a dialogue is underway, against the background of the cold war between the two sides and mutual accusations of backing armed opposition groups," he said.

	South Sudan's civil war has displaced 1.5 million people (AFP/Getty)

Biong added that the visit had important implications for Juba, which wanted Khartoum to halt support for Machar.

"If the two sides do not address the fundamentals, then nothing will come from these visits," he added.

Biong said the situation in the south had become more complicated because of the fighting near oil-rich regions, which has significantly affected production.

"This issue has dominated discussions between the two sides, since declining oil production has consequences for the economic viability of the Khartoum oil pipeline and Juba's oil exports, which it needs."

South Sudan has been in a state of civil war since mid-December 2013. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people and caused the displacement of about 1.5 million, who now live in dire conditions and face the prospect of starvation.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.