In January 2011, southern Sudan voted for independence through a referendum. Although Sudanese President Omar Bashir acknowledged this result, the road to independence remained plagued by unresolved issues of sharing oil revenues, defining disputed borders, and deliberating citizenship laws. Moreover, southern Sudan continued to suffer from challenges of severe underdevelopment, poor governance, and persistent ethnic divisions. Nonetheless, South Sudan gained independence on July 9, 2011.

On the Issues

• Sudan at Risk | May 23, 2011:  USIP experts discuss the recent hostilities in Abyei and why it threatens the stability of the soon-to-be Republic of South Sudan and the overall region.
• Peace in Sudan | June 13, 2011:  USIP experts discuss the recent troubling developments in Sudan and why there are renewed concerns about prospects for peace in Sudan.
• South Sudan Independence | July 1, 2011: USIP expert Jon Temin provides a preview of South Sudan's upcoming independence.
• Despite Violence, South Sudan Preparing for Independence | July 1, 2011: Deadly attacks in two of the ethnically mixed regions along the tense north-south border are testing the durability of the Sudanese peace process.
• Just Days from Independence, South Sudan Approves Transitional Constitution | July 7, 2011:  On July 6, the legislative assembly approved the transition constitution that political leaders and legal specialists include USIP experts have been working on for months.
• South Sudan's Independence | July 11, 2011:  After witnessing the independence celebrations, USIP Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow describes what secession means for the future of the two Sudans.

Events and Multimedia on Independence

• Southern Sudan: The New Regional Player | April 14, 2011: The creation of the new state of Southern Sudan introduces a new player to Central Africa, shifting the regional dynamics in the Great Lakes region. How will this new state impact its neighbors to the south and how should policy makers prepare for these changes?  Read the News Feature.
• The Future of the Two Sudans:  A Conversation with Former African Presidents | April 19, 2011: Three members of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel, former South African President Thabo Mbeki, former Burundian President Pierre Buyoya, and former Nigerian President Abdulsalami Abubakar, discussed the current situation and their efforts to support two peaceful Sudans.  Read the News Feature / Listen to the Audio Recording.
• The Future of South Sudan: A Conversation with H.E. Vice President Riek Machar | June 14, 2011:  Vice President Machar discussed the current status of relations between Sudan’s north and south, preparations for secession, the political climate in southern Sudan and the role of the international community in the new Republic of South Sudan.  Listen to the Audio Recording.
• The Birth of the Republic of South Sudan | July 14, 2011: This half-day conference highlighted views from the ground and the U.S. policy community toward the new country, including a keynote address by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson.  Read the News Feature / Listen to the Audio Recording.