(Ecofin Agency) - In Sudan, the President Omar al-Bashir (photo), has at last decided to reduce the transit fees for the conveyance of South Sudanese oil through the northern pipelines, an official revealed.

The official only said that the President’s decision came after a request made by South Sudan’s foreign minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin but did not give more details concerning the issue.

Sudanese Finance minister, Badr al-Din Mahmoud, on Wednesday had said that they will not reduce the fees being paid to them by Juba.

The South Sudanese Government had asked Khartoum to cut the fixed fee of $24.50 a barrel which was agreed under the September 2012 Cooperation Agreement signed in Addis Ababa, due to the continuing decline in the prices of oil in the international market.

According to Reuters, Sudan lost most of its oil revenues when the south seceded in 2011 and is extremely short of income.

Anita Fatunji