On Saturday South Sudan became the world's newest nation and African 54th country.
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| Map showing the established borders of Sudan and South Sudan |
Sudan, the largest and one of the most geographically diverse states in Africa, split into two countries in July 2011 after the people of the south voted for independence.
The world's newest nation was born at midnight East African Time last Saturday. Independence marked the the climax of a process made possible by the 2005 peace deal that ended a long civil war.
The South's independence follows decades of conflict with the north in which some 1.5 million people died.
South Sudan's independence following a referendum held in January 2011 in which nearly 99% of voters opted for separation from the rest of Sudan.
Saturday's independence ceremony was held at the mausoleum of the late rebel leader John Garang, who died just months after signing the peace deal with Mr Bashir that ended Africa's longest-running conflict.
While we celebrate with South Sudan and look towards a bright future for the long suffering Southerners we must acknowledge that moving forward will be hard.
South Sudan is in an oil rich region but is considered to be the most underdeveloped country in the world.
South Sudan most now move to build basic infrastructure and amenities such as roads, schools, hospitals, schools and the like.
However, I see good in all this. As a student of African history I am proud and happy that Sudan is the first country to break the artificial and forced boundaries established under colonial rule.
In what is termed the "Scramble for Africa" also known as the Race for Africa and the Partition of Africa was the process of annexation, colonization of African territories by Europe between 1881 to the start of the World War I in 1914.
European imperialist created artificial boundaries and called them countries wherein ethnic groups and nation-states were forced to live within laws that did not fit the African personality. Such laws are exported from Europe ( such a the British common law that former colonies of Britain like Jamaica continue to struggle operate in).
After the 1960s the Decade of Independence for most African and Caribbean nations that were colonized these artificial boundaries were maintained and Sudan is the first nation to act to change from these colonial spatial definitions.
I will watching closely to see how South Sudan and Sudan adjusts. And I pray and wish them success as this may be the step needed to end the ethnic clashes that have plagued Africa since the end of official colonial rule.
For the next few weeks Envasa will have a South Sudan post independence series as we monitor the transitional period.
What do you think of the independence of South Sudan? Do you think other African countries can benefit from the Sudan-South Sudan model? or is it just too soon to tell?
I am happy for them, but cautiously so because far too often I have seen that when certain people try to establish autonomy for themselves, some other group with an ulterior motive always finds a way to offset progress. The fact that the country is oil rich makes me fear that outsiders will come in with promises to develop their infrastructure, etc. But it will not be for free.
ReplyDeleteI would love for South Sudan to be an inspiration for other African countries. Thanks for this post, I learnt a lot.
I understand the concern you. South Sudan is a poor country with very little infrastructure. A rich multi-national agency could easily come in and promise roads, schools, jobs for the citizens and other amenities in exchange for them given free range to exploit the country's oil reserves. I pray that this does not happen I hope the African Union opens up itself enough to assist South Sudan in this crucial transitional period.
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