From Decades of Strife and Conflict, Africa's Newest Nation Is Born

South Sudanese girl hanging flag ahead of Independence Day

The boundaries on Africa's maps will once again be re-drawn, this time as the newest nation in the world readies itself for full independence from Sudan on Saturday. After a decade of civil war with Khartoum and an uneasy five year cease-fire, celebrations marking the formation of the new state are set to get underway in the South Sudanese capital of Juba on Saturday. This new nation will be slightly smaller than the state of Texas in terms of size.

Reportedly a number of expats will make their way to the new country from overseas for the occasion while a number of events as far afield as Sioux City, SD are planned for those unable to make it to Juba by July 9th.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir meeting with President Bush in 2009

The Republic of South Sudan came about as a result of the internationally-brokered Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the South and Khartoum that was signed in Nairobi. The terms of the 2005 ceasefire included six years of autonomy from Khartoum followed by a referendum on independence which took place earlier this year. Voters in the south overwhelmingly approved of secession from northern Sudan by a nearly 99% margin. The population of the South is largely Christian or Animist while the northern Sudan is majority Muslim.

Map of the new nation

Although rich in oil deposits, the South faces a number of challenges including rebuilding infrastructure damaged by years of civil war, AIDS, a high infant mortality rate. There is also the risk that lingering resentment towards the north could reignite into an armed conflict once again. To that end, the United Nations has sent approximately 7000 peacekeepers to act as a buffer between northern and southern forces.

There is also the problem of exporting the oil, since the new country is land-locked and the only pipelines into and out of the south are to Port Sudan and and easily be cut off if hostilities between the two nations resume.

Reveller in the capital city of Juba

The days and weeks leading up to the independence day have been marked with skirmishes with the northern militias and attacks on refugees. As recently as May of this year, forces from South Sudan and Sudan traded artillery fire and the Sudanese air force bombarded the region around the border town of Abyei.

South Sudan Makes it Official- Will Split From Khartoum

Talk to the hand! (Pete Muller- AP Photo)

Although the final tally may not be made official until Valentine's Day, voters in South Sudan chose overwhelmingly to break with the al-Bashir regime and the rest of Sudan in weeklong balloting. Sudanese refugees as far away as Ausrtalia, Tel Aviv, London, Boston and Chicago were also able to cast their ballots for or against independence.

South Sudan's unofficial boundaries are shown in green- Darfur's is shown in Blue

While already the South is facing challenges in the form of prices rising on food and consumer goods, the vote may be considered a setback for the al-Bashir regime in Khartoum as well. Some analysts speculate that al-Bashir becomes known as the man where Africa's largest nation split up under his watch, that could undermine his authority in the rest of Sudan and causing him to be forced out of power and replaced by somebody who may not honor the outcome of South Sudan's referendum.

Although this might've come up before, it's worth noting that while South Sudan is relatively oil-rich, it would continue to be dependent on the rest of Sudan to export in in the foreseeable future, as Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo would be the only other countries it borders that aren't landlocked. Links to other bordering countries like Uganda or Ethiopia involve highways that aren't even paved (or nonexistent in many cases).

However, the relatively peaceful (so far) transition from breakaway province to independent state in a particularly bloody region on a strife-torn continent is noteworthy in and of itself. Another issue that the South Sudanese have to deal with is whether or not to retain the name of the country they just broke away from or call them something different altogether.

South Sudan Expected to Break From Khartoum in Weeklong Referndum

Voters in the capital of autonomous South Sudan region broke out in song and wrapped themselves as week long balloting began on a referendum for independence from Khartoum on Sunday.

The voting is expected to be relatively peaceful, although the referendum is the culmination of a prolonged bloody civil war that left nearly 1 million dead. It is widely expected that oil rich and majority Christan South Sudan- which consists of roughly the southern ⅓ of Sudan- will vote overwhelmingly to break with the Khartoum regime of Omar al-Bashir (who has an international warrant from the International Criminal Courts from 2009).

Voter turnout has surpassed more than 60% this week in the first 3 days of voting. Polls are expected to close this upcoming Sunday.

However, even if the referendum passes and Khartoum peacefully accepts South Sudan's secession from the rest of the country, the new nation would be faced with a number of political and logistical challenges. Although rich in timber and oil, South Sudan is landlocked. Aside from Kenya, a potentially belligerent Sudan and the perennially unstable Democratic Republic of the Congo, the countries bordering South Sudan would also be landlocked [for the record, the Darfur reigon that caught the attention of so many Hollywood types is in the Western part of Sudan and bordering Chad- NANESB!].

The shortest route for exports would be to the northeast and the Red Sea port of Port Sudan. While there is talks of constructing a rail link with Uganda to the south, the new nation would be dependent on the goodwill of Khartoum and the al-Bashir regime in the near term.

There is also a high infant mortality rate and it's believed there are only three functioning hospitals in the nearly 240,000 square mile autonomous region at present.