South Sudan: Africa’s Newest Nation Comes to Birth

Juba, South Sudan

South Sudan officially celebrated its Independence Day on Saturday with raising of the newest nation’s flag and swearing-in of its first president at the capital, Juba.

Jubilant South Sudanese packed the freedom square next to John Garang Mausoleum as they danced in wait for the reckoning moment, waving flags and screaming in happiness. The party started at mid-night carrying on to the major part of the day with residents of Juba coming out in all whims to welcome the day they had been waiting for.

The celebration started with the unveiling of the Late John Garang’s statue by South’s leader Salva Kiir at the square before proceeding to the dais where foreign dignitaries and international leaders were packed.

Military bands, police battalions and traditional dancers paraded before the speaker of the southern parliament read out the independence declaration. Later the Sudanese flag was lowered and the South Sudan’s flag was raised on the 30m flag post before Kiir took oath of office some moments past mid-day.

In his speech, the newly sworn-in President Kiir said “Our martyrs did not die in vain... We have waited for more than 56 years for this day. It is a day that will be forever engraved on our hearts and minds.”

“All the indexes of human welfare put us at the bottom of all humanity. All citizens of this nation must therefore fully dedicate their energies and resources to the construction of a vibrant economy”, he added.

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir who attended recognised Kiir as the president of the new republic, where he pledged further cooperation with the south owing to the reliance of the two countries on each other.

“We congratulate our brothers in the south for the establishment of their new state, we share their joy and celebration” said Bashir. “The will of the people of the south has to be respected.”

He called on the US leader to deliver on his commitment to lift sanctions on Sudan to open the way to normalise his country’s relations with Sudan.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the north and south to declare their commitment to solving outstanding issues, pointing out that the two sides were still engaged at conflict.

“In recent weeks we have seen new violence and human suffering inflamed by potentially dangerous rhetoric. So today let this be a moment for north and south to declare clearly that they remain committed to addressing the unfinished business of the comprehensive peace agreement,” he said.

The head of the U.S. delegation, U.N. ambassador Susan Rice, said the United States will continue to be an honest friend to South Sudan.

Nations across the globe moved to recognise South Sudan’s independence, with leaders sending congratulatory messages to the new nation. So far at least 15 nations including major world powers such as US, UK, Russia and China have rendered their statements recognising the Saturday’s mark of independence.

US president Barack Obama said in a statement that he was proud to declare that the US formally recognises the Republic of South Sudan as a sovereign and independent state upon Saturday’s fete.

“A proud flag flies over Juba and the map of the world has been redrawn. These symbols speak to the blood that has been spilled, the tears that have been shed,” said Obama.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron in his statement said “This is an historic day for South Sudan and the Whole of Africa.” Statements of recognition also came from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and the leaders of India, Israel, Kenya, and France.

South African President Jacob Zuma said “We have always aspired to witness the dawn of peace, security and stability prevailing in the whole of the Sudan. That dream is coming to fruition.”

The Khartoum government became the first to recognise South Sudan on Friday, a move which was welcomed by Britain and the US saying that the two nations can resolve their differences peacefully.

The July 9 legitimate recognition of the breakaway comes after an overwhelming vote in January 9 in favour of secession that was mapped in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended over two decades of north-south dispute that claimed over 1.5million lives.

President Bashir told the BBC on Sunday that the disputed border region of Abyei is a source of potential conflict with the newly independent south. He said the oil-rich region remains part of northern Sudan and the protocols governing it must be respected. He expressed his sadness over the division of Sudan, but said it was a price worth paying for peace.

On the same day south’s President Kiir re-appointed Riek Machar as the country’s vice president in his first presidential statement that was televised in the official South Sudan TV.

The creed allowed the vice president, cabinet ministers and other officials of the southern government who were serving previously to retain their positions for a caretaking period until a new government is formed. They are expected to be sworn in on Monday.

The south faces a lot of developmental challenges upon its independence, mainly being the exploiting the oil resources a key feeder for its economy, owing to its poor infrastructural development.  

Mogadishu, Somalia

UN: Somali Drought “Worst Humanitarian Disaster”

Chief of UN refugee agency has expressed the situation of drought in Somalia as the “worst humanitarian disaster” in the world, following his tour of the Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya.

 Antonio Guterres, head of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) visited the camp on Sunday to highlight plight of those affected by the drought, where he rallied for urgent response from aid agencies in the already worsening situation in Somalia.

“I have no doubt that in today's world; Somalia corresponds to the worst humanitarian disaster. I have never seen in a refugee camp people coming in such desperate conditions,” said Guterres. “Here in the outskirts of the Somali refugee camp of Dadaab, we have the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable of the vulnerable in the world.”

Guterres had earlier visited the Ethiopian camp of Dollo Ado on Thursday where he point out highly increasing levels of child mortality, calling for urgent life saving actions.

“The level of malnutrition of the children coming in is 50 per cent. That is enough to explain why a very high level of mortality is inevitable,” he said.

The World Food Programme estimate over 10 million people are in dire need of humanitarian action in the region, with over two million children already suffering from malnutrition.

Doctors in Dadaab are reporting severe cases of acute malnutrition and related complications. Most of those arriving at the camp are women and very young children who are reportedly in bad physical condition.

Registration process at Dadaab is becoming catastrophic due to the high number of new daily arrivals estimated at 1,500, making the process of accessing food and medical help long. The relentless violence in Somalia has compounded the terrible drought has forced more than 135,000 Somalis to flee Somalia so far this year.

The UNHCR chief is expected to meet Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki in efforts to persuade him to open a new camp near the Dadaab complex which is now extremely over crowded.

The Kenyan government has been reluctant to finish the Ifo II camp which will carry up to 40,000 people, due to fears that it would encourage refugees to stay in the country permanently.

 Dadaab is the largest refugee camp in the world initially built to hold 90,000 people but the number is expected to hit 500,000 following the present rate of arrivals.