Sudan is ready to talk with South Sudan about security issues in order to prevent a return to full-scale war following weeks of border fighting, Sudan's foreign minister said on Tuesday. www.trust.org

Sudanese oil workers took stock of damage to the economically-vital Heglig oilfield on Tuesday after recent fighting with South Sudan left a power station in ruins, a warehouse gutted and a pipeline spilling out acrid crude.

Officials are eager to resume output from Heglig, which accounted for about half of Sudan's 115,000 barrels a day of production before South Sudan seized the field earlier this month. The fighting edged the countries close to an all-out war. www.trust.org

South Sudan forms committee to mobilise for war

Juba — As border conflict with Sudan indicates possibility of an all-out war, South Sudan on Tuesday laid ground work for formation of a country wide mobilization structure in support of the national army in the frontline.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit during the meeting of the ruling SPLM party three weeks ago in Juba called on the five border states with Sudan to mobilize their civil populations on the looming conflict with Khartoum.

On Tuesday the Vice President, Riek Machar, called for a joint meeting involving national ministers and leadership of the bicameral Juba parliament as well as representatives of the political parties, national unions, business community, local NGOs and civil society organizations in the country.

The meeting called for the formation of a wider national mobilization body to coordinate efforts geared towards mobilizing human and material resources to support the national army in the face of the "Khartoum's aggression."

The national coordination committee will oversee the mobilization of the populations and establish effective coordination mechanism with the various national groups and states committees.

This will include recruitment into the army youth volunteers and ex-combatants.

It will also enlighten the populations about the history and causes of the border conflict with Sudan as well as assist in diplomacy and inform the international community about the issues of conflict.

The meeting also called on institutions responsible for information and media outlets in the country to step up efforts in reflecting the nature of the border conflict with Khartoum.

allafrica.com

South Sudan Orders Oil Workers to Leave

Khartoum — South Sudan has ordered 154 northern Sudanese nationals working for Chinese-led oil consortium, Petrodar, to leave its territories within 3 days, drawing Beijing once again into Juba's conflict with Khartoum.

The news was announced from Khartoum on Tuesday by the official spokesman of Sudan's Foreign Ministry, Al-Obaid Adam Marawih, who also revealed they were already engaged in contacts with South Sudan's foreign ministry to discuss the possibility of sending a plane from Khartoum to take them back home.

Marawih pointed out that the Sudanese staffers were working for Petrodar in Fulug oilfield in South Sudan's Upper Nile State.
The tension and military confrontations currently dominating relations between Khartoum and Juba can be traced back in part to their failure to agree on terms of using Sudan-based pipelines to export South Sudan's oil.

China, which is the biggest investors in oil sector on both side of the border, was embroiled in the conflict despite its policy of balancing relations between Khartoum and Juba.

In February, as the oil dispute intensified with Juba halting production, South Sudan expelled the head of Petrodar, accusing him of complicity in Khartoum's confiscation of southern oil.

allafrica.com

The United Nations will open a new refugee camp in northern Kenya to shelter a possible influx of Sudanese and South Sudanese fleeing escalating conflict between their two countries www.trust.org

Food insecurity is spreading in border areas, The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has said in a report

--Key areas of concern remain most parts of Jonglei, Upper Nile, Warrap, and Northern Bahr El Gazal states, and northern parts of Unity State, where Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of food insecurity will persist during the Outlook scenario period (April to September 2012), as the lean season peaks.

--Food insecurity in Northern Bahr El Gazal, Warrap, Unity and Upper Nile states, particularly in areas close to the South Sudan – Sudan border, could further deteriorate should conflict levels escalate during the scenario period.

--Prices of sorghum, the main staple food, have substantially risen across key markets compared to the same time last year. Given increased inflation and high fuel prices, cereal prices are expected to remain above average, particularly after June, when most roads become impassable.

--The GHA Climate Outlook Forum (COF) forecast for the the March to May rains, which is relevant for the southern sector of South Sudan, calls for average rains for Western, Eastern and Central Equatoria, which implies a likelihood of normal rains for half of the Greater Equatoria April – July cropping season.

The report is available here: www.fews.net