What You Need to Know
Dmitry Nefidov highlights the political and military conflicts in Sudan and South Sudan, emphasizing their humanitarian impact and international strategies regarding natural resources. He notes the UN’s extension of sanctions on South Sudan and the ongoing oil transport despite Western sanctions, while exploring potential cooperation with Russia and China.
Africa. In a report published by a local source, writer Dmitry Nefidov highlighted the escalating political and military conflicts in Sudan and South Sudan, and their impact on humanitarian conditions and regional and international strategies regarding natural resources and partnerships.
Nefidov states that the UN Security Council extended sanctions on South Sudan in May 2025 until May 31, 2026, which include asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes. The decision was adopted with nine votes in favor, while Russia, China, Algeria, Somalia, Sierra Leone, and Pakistan abstained from voting.
This development coincides with South Sudan resuming oil transport through a pipeline extending across Sudanese territory for 1,550 kilometers to the Port of Sudan on the Red Sea since May 2025, despite Western sanctions imposed on Sudan for years.
Huge Reserves
Estimates suggest that confirmed oil reserves in South Sudan could be substantial, exceeding 4 billion barrels by 2025. The oil sector is the backbone of the country’s economy, providing about 65% of GDP and nearly 80% of export revenues, in addition to the state’s significant reserves of natural gas and oil.
According to the writer, South Sudanese authorities are exploring cooperation with Russia and China in the oil and gas sector, while excluding partnerships with Western companies. In September 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir discussed the establishment of oil refineries in Juba and Wau during Kiir’s first visit to Moscow.
After the failure to ignite a new direct conflict between Khartoum and Juba, the focus is currently on attempts to weaken them internally, which is part of a broader strategy to prevent African countries from cooperating with China and Russia.
Khartoum’s Position
Regarding the extended sanctions, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Anna Yevstigneyeva, stated that “the document has become more burdened with political assessments of the internal situation. It is time to ease the Security Council’s sanctions on South Sudan.”
Concerning Sudan, the writer reported that amid worsening conditions on the ground and the humanitarian crisis, Sudan’s ambassador to Russia, Mohamed Siraj, requested Moscow’s assistance in providing humanitarian supplies and the possibility of mediating in Darfur to help resolve the ongoing conflict, which is accompanied by acts of genocide.
According to the writer, Khartoum rejects a recent proposal from the White House for a ceasefire, viewing it as an attempt to impose dictates aimed at dismantling the Sudanese armed forces and preserving “the gains of the rebels.”
Most of the oil fields in Sudan, which are controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, are located in the south of the country near the border with South Sudan, explaining the close interconnection between the energy sector in the previously unified state, as Dmitry Nefidov points out.
Western Strategy
He adds that this sector relies on five oil refineries in the central and northern parts of the country, the most notable being the Khartoum and Port Sudan refineries, which are under government control.
The writer notes that since 2017, Sudan and South Sudan have been cooperating with Russia within the framework of the “OPEC Plus” alliance, despite attempts by some Western politicians to persuade certain members of this alliance not to include Sudan and South Sudan in its structure, citing sanctions imposed on these two countries.
Dmitry Nefidov explains that after the failure to ignite a new direct conflict between Khartoum and Juba, the focus is currently on attempts to weaken them internally. This is, according to the writer, part of a broader strategy to prevent African countries from cooperating with China and Russia, ultimately allowing for control over their natural resources.
Sudan and South Sudan have experienced prolonged conflict since South Sudan’s independence in 2011, largely driven by disputes over resources and governance. The oil sector remains crucial for both nations, with South Sudan’s reserves being a significant economic asset. The geopolitical landscape has shifted, with increasing interest from Russia and China amid Western sanctions and diplomatic tensions.
