Five Challenges South Sudan Will Face After Referendum -- Christian Science Monitor
Although some results from South Sudan's referendum still need to be made official, Sudanese and international observers are beginning to look ahead to what comes with independence.
Attention is turning from South Sudan’s referendum on independence, which yielded a nearly unanimous “yes” vote, to South’s Sudan’s future. Here are five challenges the new country will face:
1. Borders
Even though North Sudan appears resigned to the South’s secession, the two countries will still have to agree on the precise border that divides them. One major piece of that puzzle is Abyei, an oil-rich region that was supposed to hold its own referendum and decide whether it would secede along with the South or remain with the North. Due to disagreements between North and South Sudanese leaders, Abyei’s referendum was postponed indefinitely. Verbal and physical conflict in Abyei (between the largely pro-secession Ngok Dinka farmers and the largely pro-unity Misseriya Arab pastoralists) punctuated the voting earlier this month.
Now that the voting is over, Abyei remains a “potential tinderbox.”
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More News On South Sudan
African Union to lead recognition of S. Sudan -- Washington/AP
AU should swiftly recognise south Sudan: chairman -- Reuters
Splitting Sudan: High Hurdles For A New Nation -- NPR
Sudan and the Secession Referendum -- AllAfrica.com
Mood set for a new nation in the south -- The Independent
Southern Sudan open for business -- CNN
Southern Sudan Rebuilding Prisons After Years of War, Neglect -- Voice of America
U.S.-built highway to Southern Sudan paved with hope -- McClatchy News
South Sudan unprepared for the flood of returning refugees -- Christian Science Monitor
The Referendum in South Sudan: Few surprises -- The Economist