Despite the imminent bifurcation of Sudan, India should continue to look for opportunities to enhance its footprint in the country. “There is a big share for India and Asian countries,” Sudan's Ambassador to India Khidir Haroun Ahmed told The Hindu on Sunday.
India is Sudan's third largest partner in the oil sector, and its companies account for a 25 per cent share of the African nation's oil off-shore industry.
Mr. Ahmed disclosed that an ONGC delegation was in Sudan recently to discuss acquiring equity in an untapped field in the north.
“I don't think this [division] will impact negatively in any way. The Oil Minister of Sudan Lual Deng, who is a southerner, will remain in position till the end of the interim period [July 9],” he pointed out.
Sudan would like Indian oil companies, along with their Brazilian, French and Chinese counterparts, to remain engaged despite plans to separate the country into two nations on the basis of a referendum.
“The good news is that both sides have agreed to leave all current things relating to the oil industry intact. It has been agreed upon by both sides to protect oil fields. And in the interest of all, none would sabotage the oil pipelines,” Mr. Ahmed said.
India is already building a thermal plant 200 km south of Khartoum, which will add nearly 50 per cent to the country's current power generation.
Its current major source, the Merowe Dam, produces 1,200 mw of electricity. The project is to be finished by March this year when Khartoum could be hoping for India's endorsement in constructive endeavours in Sudan by a high-level visit to mark the occasion. Sudan is now hoping for more Indian interest, especially in building a refinery.
India's construction of the Port Sudan-Khartoum road, which reduced the distance by five hours, has been appreciated. Indian companies are also linking electricity grids between the north and the west.
“We want to try to partner and benefit from India's expertise,” Mr. Ahmed said, pointing to opportunities in the agricultural sector. “Only 20 per cent of land is being put to use. Therefore there is a golden opportunity for India. We are ready to have UAE, Saudi Arabian and Turkish investors.”
Indian companies could also become active in gold, “which is being discovered all over the place and on the surface,” he added.
Mr. Ahmed pointed to the interaction between Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry, Permanent Representative of the U.S. in the United Nations Susan Rice, and National Security Advisor to the U.S. President Tom Donilon. According to Mr. Karti, he received very positive signals of U.S. readiness to improve ties with Sudan.
On a personal level, Mr. Ahmed said the country's imminent bifurcation was a “sad situation” for the people of his generation.
“We were very proud citizens of the biggest nation in Africa and the Middle-East, and the 10th largest in the world. But to be realistic, this is the wish of the people of southern Sudan. They feel more comfortable in a separate state and we accept this mandate,” he said.
Both countries are likely to have a 2,000-km border with around 10 million people of mixed ethnicity. While 70 per cent of oil is produced in the south, 100 per cent of the facilities such as refineries and pipelines are in the north.
“This is a very good incentive to make us good neighbours. May be the second generation will be able to build a new unity on the basis of equality and justice,” Mr. Ahmed said.
