South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has agreed with the de facto leader of Sudan, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, that vital oil exports from the landlocked country could resume through its northern neighbour.

Juba and Khartoum have agreed to resume oil production and export, signalling cooperation over a key pillar of their economies that had been halted after war erupted in Sudan. The details emerged after bilateral discussions between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday.

South Sudan and Sudan have made progress towards restarting the pumping of South Sudan's crude oil through a pipeline running to a port in its neighbour, South Sudan's finance minister and the president's office said.

Despite its vast reserves, a South Sudan civil war and later regional conflict have severely impacted crude oil production in recent years.