(JUBA) – South Sudan is facing a drop in the volume of refined petroleum products arriving from Kenya, prompting senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum to hold urgent talks with Kenyan pipeline investors in Juba on 5 June 2026.
The meeting, chaired by the Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum, Eng Lual Chol Dak, brought together technical advisors, national consultants, directors general and other concerned officials from both sides. The Kenyan delegation represented a pipelines company involved in moving fuel along the route that starts at the port of Mombasa, passes through Kampala in Uganda, and ends in South Sudan.
Officials did not state how much fuel supply has fallen, but the decline was serious enough to warrant a formal bilateral meeting. The Kenyan investors outlined the problems affecting the flow of products along the corridor, though details of those difficulties were not made public.
Eng Lual Chol told the Kenyan team that continued communication, cooperation and coordination between the two sides would be needed to settle the matter. He said both countries stood to benefit from steady progress in their business ties and that working together was in their mutual interest.
South Sudan imports all its refined fuel. Any sustained drop in supply has a direct effect on pump prices, transport costs and the wider cost of doing business. Fuel shortages have in the past led to sharp price rises in Juba and other towns, hitting traders, transport operators and households hard.
The Ministry of Petroleum has been working to keep supply routes open and prices stable. The talks with the Kenyan pipeline company form part of that effort. Both sides agreed that technical discussions should continue, although no date has been set for a follow-up meeting.
The Kenya to South Sudan fuel corridor is a vital trade link. Most imported petroleum products arrive by road from Uganda after being pumped from Mombasa to Kampala. Any disruption along this chain can create costly delays and shortages in the South Sudanese market.
No figures were given on the current value of fuel imports affected, and neither side commented on whether prices to consumers would rise as a result of the supply drop.