The Government announced that it would cut to half its oil production over the weekend following Khartoum’s threat to shut down the oil pipelines on August 7.
Foreign ministry spokesman Mawien Makol Arik said oil protection should go down to 100,000 barrels per day over the weekend, and then next week it will continue to go down.
Oil minister Stephen Dhieu Dau explained to journalist after Friday’s Cabinet meeting that the gradual shutdown of oil production aims at preserving the infrastructure and the environment in case Khartoum goes ahead with its threat.
Khartoum accuses Juba of supporting the Sudanese opposition.
It said it would not allow the export of South Sudan’s oil if its government did not stop supporting rebels across the border.