Démocratie

Southern Sudan
The geopolitical situation
Southern Sudan has an estimated population of 11
million and its territory covers 589.745 km2. Southern
Sudan consists of ten states: Lakes, Warrap,
Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal,
Unity, Jonglei, Upper Nile, Eastern Equatoria, Western
Equatoria and Bahr el Jebel. The national government
and the states in Southern Sudan are
linked through the Government of Southern Sudan
(GoSS). The president is Salva Kiir Mayardit. The GDP
per capita in Sudan is 2,083 PPP US $. The human
development index value is 0.526, which gives Sudan
a rank of 147th out of the 177 countries classified
(UNDP, HDR 2007/2008).
The signing and implementation of the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government
of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation
Movement (SPLM) in January 2005 led to the formation
of the power-sharing Government of National
Unity (GoNU) which established the semi autonomous
Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS). This
power sharing governance can be best described as
‘one country, two systems’.
With the signing of the CPA, Southern Sudan entered
into a new phase peace process and reconstruction
of the country after nearly two decades of
civil war. The GoSS has developed an interim Constitution,
and is geared to political elections in 2009,
which should pave the way for a referendum on self
determination in 2011. Although GOSS has the will
and determination to establish stable social, economic
and political structures, it presently faces a
state-building exercise of enormous proportions.
The implementation
of the CPA is constantly
challenged by
disputes and disagreements
on issues
such as demarcation
of borders in certain
areas, failure to
meet deadlines on redeployment of armed forces,
disagreement on the Abyei boundary commission
report and wealth and revenue sharing. In addition
to this, use and occupation of land and resources,
the steady stream of returnees into Southern Sudan,
weak institutional structures have continued to pose
a threat to the smooth implementation of the CPA.
The signing of CPA in January 2005 signalled the
urgency of carrying out a population census in the
entire country, as this a tool for sustainability of
peace and the basis of power and wealth sharing
and elections, as well as the 2011 referendum” - CPA.
After some initial disagreements between the NCP
and the SPLM on the modalities, form and timing of
the census, it was finally conducted and concluded in
late April 2008.
M.C.