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South Africa to Invest $1 Billion in South Sudan Oil Sector

FILE PHOTO: A worker walks by an oil well at the Toma South oil field to Heglig, in Ruweng State, South Sudan August 25, 2018. REUTERS/Jok Solomun
FILE PHOTO: A worker walks by an oil well at the Toma South oil field to Heglig, in Ruweng State, South Sudan August 25, 2018. REUTERS/Jok Solomun
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South Africa to Invest $1 Billion in South Sudan Oil Sector

FILE PHOTO: A worker walks by an oil well at the Toma South oil field to Heglig, in Ruweng State, South Sudan August 25, 2018. REUTERS/Jok Solomun
FILE PHOTO: A worker walks by an oil well at the Toma South oil field to Heglig, in Ruweng State, South Sudan August 25, 2018. REUTERS/Jok Solomun

South Africa will invest $1 billion in South Sudan's oil sector, including in the construction of a refinery, the South African minister for energy and his South Sudanese counterpart for petroleum said on Friday.

South Sudan's oil industry is dominated by Asian firms including China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Malaysia's Petronas and India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC Videsh).

The two ministers signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which will also involve South Africa taking part in the exploration of several oil blocks, they said.

"When this refinery is complete, it will have the capacity of producing 60,000 barrels of oil per day," Jeff Radebe, the South African minister said without giving further details.

"What we have signed this morning is the cooperation between our two national oil companies, Nilepet and South Africa Energy Fund then from there the funding will come from Central Energy Fund (CEF) of South Africa," Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, the South Sudanese minister said.

South Sudan exports its crude through a pipeline that goes to a port in neighboring Sudan to the north.

"It is instrumental to have a new pipeline," Gatkuoth said.

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Japan’s Economy Shrinks as US Tariff Hit Looms 

The Tokyo Dome (L-white roof) and the Tokyo Skytree (back R) are pictured from the high-rise business district of Shinjuku on a hazy day in central Tokyo on May 16, 2025. (AFP)
The Tokyo Dome (L-white roof) and the Tokyo Skytree (back R) are pictured from the high-rise business district of Shinjuku on a hazy day in central Tokyo on May 16, 2025. (AFP)
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Japan’s Economy Shrinks as US Tariff Hit Looms 

The Tokyo Dome (L-white roof) and the Tokyo Skytree (back R) are pictured from the high-rise business district of Shinjuku on a hazy day in central Tokyo on May 16, 2025. (AFP)
The Tokyo Dome (L-white roof) and the Tokyo Skytree (back R) are pictured from the high-rise business district of Shinjuku on a hazy day in central Tokyo on May 16, 2025. (AFP)

Japan's economy shrank for the first time in a year in the March quarter, data showed on Friday, underscoring the fragile nature of its recovery now under threat from US President Donald Trump's trade policies.

The data highlights the challenge policymakers face as steep US tariffs cloud the outlook for the export-heavy economy, particularly for the mainstay automobiles sector.

Real gross domestic product (GDP) contracted an annualized 0.7% in January-March, preliminary government data showed, much bigger than a median market forecast for a 0.2% drop.

It followed a revised 2.4% increase in the previous quarter. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy shrank 0.2% compared with market forecasts for a 0.1% contraction.

Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan's economic output, was flat in the first quarter, compared with market forecasts for a 0.1% gain.

Capital expenditure increased 1.4% compared with market forecasts for a 0.8% gain, the data showed.

External demand, or net exports, shaved 0.8 percentage point off GDP growth, the data showed. Analysts polled by Reuters expected external demand, or shipments minus imports, to have shaved 0.6 point off GDP growth.

A global trade war touched off by Trump's sweeping tariffs has jolted financial markets and complicated the Bank of Japan's decision on when and how far it can push up interest rates.

Having exited a decade-long stimulus last year, the BOJ hiked rates to 0.5% in January and has signaled its readiness to keep hiking borrowing costs if a moderate economic recovery keeps Japan on track to durably hit its 2% inflation target.

But fears of a Trump-induced global slowdown forced the BOJ to sharply cut its growth forecasts at its April 30-May 1 policy meeting, and cast doubt on its view that sustained wage hikes will underpin consumption and the broader economy.

While a de-escalation of US-China trade tensions offered markets and policymakers some relief, there is uncertainty on whether Japan can win exemptions from US tariffs in bilateral trade talks with Washington.

The gloomy GDP data may also pile pressure on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to heed lawmakers' demands to cut tax or compile a fresh stimulus package.