South Sudan resumes oil production

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan ordered oil companies to restart production Thursday and officials said oil export could resume in about 90 days, ending a nearly nine-month shutdown following a dispute with Sudan over borders and oil.

Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart President Omar al Bashir signed an agreement last month in the Ethiopian capital that addressed several issues including residency, work and travel rights for citizens of both countries, and a demilitarized buffer-zone to reduce tensions along the oft-disputed border. Perhaps the most critical part of the agreement is the provision that allows South Sudan to export its oil through the port and pipelines in the north.