Sudan oil interest in new Kenya rail link
Posted: 17 Oct 2009, 06:36
China, Kenya discuss new corridor for southern Sudan oil
Friday 16 October 2009 06:30.
October 15, 2009 (NAIROBI) — Kenyan and Chinese government is discussing the construction of a corridor to export southern Sudan production of oil through a new port.
Last year Kenya discussed the $3.5bn project with Qatar in return for a lease on 40,000 hectares of land to grow crops; but the deal was signed between the two countries.
In a statement to the Financial Times, the Kenyan Prime Minister who flew to Beijing on Wednesday said he considers China a better suited to achieve the project which also include the development of a Port in Lamu.
“The Chinese offer the full package,†he said, referring to the combination of financing and technical expertise that state-backed Chinese banks and construction companies have rolled out across Africa.
The land and rail corridor can provide an alternative route for southern Sudan oil which now transported by a pipeline to Port Sudan in north eastern part of the country.
The idea of a pipeline to transport the southern Sudan oil through Kenyan ports had been abandoned because of the quality of heavy crude and the high cost of the project.
(ST)
Friday 16 October 2009 06:30.
October 15, 2009 (NAIROBI) — Kenyan and Chinese government is discussing the construction of a corridor to export southern Sudan production of oil through a new port.
Last year Kenya discussed the $3.5bn project with Qatar in return for a lease on 40,000 hectares of land to grow crops; but the deal was signed between the two countries.
In a statement to the Financial Times, the Kenyan Prime Minister who flew to Beijing on Wednesday said he considers China a better suited to achieve the project which also include the development of a Port in Lamu.
“The Chinese offer the full package,†he said, referring to the combination of financing and technical expertise that state-backed Chinese banks and construction companies have rolled out across Africa.
The land and rail corridor can provide an alternative route for southern Sudan oil which now transported by a pipeline to Port Sudan in north eastern part of the country.
The idea of a pipeline to transport the southern Sudan oil through Kenyan ports had been abandoned because of the quality of heavy crude and the high cost of the project.
(ST)