July 9, 2011

South Sudan

South Sudan declares independence from Sudan

Sudan — the state losing roughly a quarter of its territory — was the first country in the world to recognize its new southern neighbour.

A constitution signed, an oath taken

At a ceremony at the John Garang Mausoleum in Juba on 9 July 2011, the Republic of South Sudan was formally proclaimed independent and its national flag was raised.

James Wani Igga, speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly, read the declaration. Salva Kiir Mayardit signed the Transitional Constitution, lifted the document for the crowd, and then took the oath as the republic's first president.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended and welcomed South Sudan as the newest independent nation in Africa and the world.

How the date got fixed

The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement provided for a self-determination referendum and set an interim period that expired on 9 July 2011.

The vote itself was held in January and the final result announced on 7 February: 98.83% for separation, on a turnout of 97.58%. Eligible Southern Sudanese also voted in northern Sudan and in eight diaspora countries, not only inside the south.

Sudan accepted the result and was the first country to recognize the new state; the United States formally recognized it as sovereign and independent the same day.

What the flag-raising left open

South Sudan did not join the United Nations on 9 July. It was admitted on 14 July as the 193rd member state, and the African Union dates its membership to 27 July, with the formal admission ceremony on 15 August.

The mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sudan ended with independence, and the new United Nations Mission in South Sudan took over.

Abyei, the border, oil transit and revenue all remained unresolved — the new country was landlocked, and its oil still had to travel through pipelines and export facilities in Sudan.

Sources

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