White Nile lobbying removal from Sudan oil block

(Reuters) - Britain's White Nile Plc is lobbying against a decision to remove them from south Sudan's oil Block B, saying it had halted all drilling work in the swampy area.

South Sudan's industry minister, Albino Akol Akol, told Reuters in July a long-standing dispute over the massive Block B had been resolved in favour of French oil giant Total SA which held rights to the block granted by the northern government.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Sudan restricts foreign currency transactions

(Reuters) - Sudan's central bank said on Monday it had imposed restrictions on foreign currency transactions, a move money traders said would harm their businesses and create a black market.

The new regulations, from which foreigners and foreign organisations are exempt, prevent Sudanese from buying foreign currencies from money exchanges for imports or to credit personal accounts in Sudan. They also limit Sudanese usage of foreign currency unless those monies have been transferred from outside the country.


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China Oil Imports From Sudan Rise Sixfold Amid Increased Darfur Pressure

(Bloomberg) -- China's oil imports from Sudan jumped
more than sixfold in April amid increased international pressure
to cut economic support for the African nation, accused by the
U.S. of supporting genocide.

China purchased 222,000 barrels a day of Sudanese oil last
month, an increase of 539 percent from a year earlier, customs
figures released in Beijing today show. Sudan is China's sixth-
largest supplier of oil this year, shipments rising more than
fivefold to 25.8 million barrels.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Sudan top target for Chinese investment in Africa

(Reuters) - The biggest target for Chinese investment in Africa is Sudan, the oil-producing country facing mounting international pressure over rights abuses in Darfur, according to figures released by a U.N. agency on Tuesday.

The U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said Sudan received $351.5 million in Chinese direct investment in 2005, the latest period for which data was available, making it Beijing's ninth-largest target for such flows worldwide.


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China defends oil trade with Africa

China defended its booming oil trade with Africa on Monday, and said Europe and the United States should look at their own engagement on the continent before criticising Beijing.

China has huge oil investments in Sudan, and rights groups say its engagement there is frustrating international efforts to stop the civil war and atrocities in Darfur.

Africa as a whole accounts for more than one-third of China's crude imports, with Angola its biggest source on the continent.

Read more at Reuters South Africa