A South Sudanese official has accused Khartoum of declaring an economic war on South Sudan by issuing a new currency before time and introducing outrageous fees for the use of its oil facilities.
SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum said yesterday that Sudan broke an agreement that they would not introduce a new currency before January 2012, six months after South Sudan had its new money in circulation.Khartoum launched its new currency this week accusing Juba of not having informed them about the launch of the South Sudan Pounds.
Mr. Amum denied the charges saying Khartoum knew the features of the South Sudanese Pound since March.
He said that with Khartoum’s move, the Sudan Pound has become illegal tender and South Sudan will lose over 700 million dollars because the old money still circulating in the country lost it value.
Mr. Amum also decried the new transit fees Sudan is charging unilaterally for the use its oil facilities.
He said the government of Khartoum wrote to the oil companies and to the government of South Sudan that it will charge 22.8 US Dollars for every barrel of crude exported through its facilities.
Mr. Amum described these economic developments as hostile and diverging from expectations of two neighboring states in good cooperation.