Editorial: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea!

According to news articles South Sudan Minister of Environment stated that the oil production has declined with 25% since secession.
He attributed the decline to the shortages in skilled manpower, damaged machineries, rains and landmines along the oil production areas adding to it the heavy rains which hinder the movements to and from the oil production areas.
The minister also affirmed that the southern engineers sent to the oil production area are unqualified and they are there just to bridge the gap.
It goes without saying that the absence of the qualified technical manpower means simply great failure.
Since its formation in 2005 up to December 2010, the GOSS has received more than 20 billion US dollars in oil revenues and, yet, it has nothing to show for it in terms of provision of services, let alone development.
On the light of the above, it is obvious that the problems facing the oil sector in southern Sudan could be solved by the north, especially those related to technical issues.
As it is said that politics is the art of the possible, and that means that there is no permanent enmity or permanent friendship,
There are mutual and clear interests, so why shouldn't our brothers in the south rethink about the issue and speed up the pace of dialogue over the oil issue as that will resolve the problems of the two countries without emotions or lamentations.
Both parties should put the best foot forward to reach a deal.
Business is business and the effect of the drop in south Sudan oil production will extent to the north, even if the two countries agreed on the transit fees and oil refining.
We believe that the mutual interests necessitates reaching a deal on all the oil issues because that will help the south by receiving the skilled manpower from the north to guarantee the stable production and at the same time will help the north in overcoming the economic challenges resulted from absence of oil revenues from the general budget.
The oil revenue represents 98% of south Sudan budget and any delay in reaching a deal on the issue with the north will lead to more complications in the already complicated situation in the new-born state.