Sudan Vote May Shift Control of Oil Pumped by China’s CNPC

Sudanese head to the polls, casting ballots in a referendum that will decide if the nation divides into two. “The vote is the centerpiece of a 2005 peace agreement ending a civil war that lasted almost 50 years, except for a ceasefire from 1972 to 1983, between the Muslim north and the south, where Christianity and traditional religions dominate,” notes this Bloomberg article. Sudan, under western sanctions, is Africa’s third largest producer of oil. About one out of five Sudanese live in the south. If the nation divides, the south would control the bulk of oil production, now pumped by Chinese and Malaysian firms. Export pipelines and refineries are in the north. Authorities in the north and south have “pledged to ensure that oil production isn’t disrupted and to work out how to share oil revenue,” report Matt Richmond and Maram Mazen. Ending conflict is essential for success in both north and south Sudan. – YaleGlobal