South Sudan Separation and Independence: Reasons, Developments, and Repercussions

Abstract

The problem of the south was the reason for many of the political and

economic crises in Sudan, and it was behind the social tension and the division

of the political forces, and the floundering of the domestic and foreign policy

in the state. In addition, this problem caused the fall of the first and second

military regime, as well as the second and third democratic regimes that the

country had witnessed.

Some of researchers describe the problem of the south as a regional

problem whose consequences extend to the all of the Arab world and African

continent as well.

Furthermore, there were many attempts to resolve the crisis in southern

Sudan, and the successive Sudanese governments used different methods to

deal with this crisis, such as the solution of using military forces to integrate

the north with southern Sudan and the political solution that recognizes the

differences between the two parties and grants autonomy to the south.

The Naivasha agreement in 2005 was the best of those attempts because

it was the one which stopped the war and laid the groundwork for the sharing

of power and wealth and gave the people of the south the right after six years

to vote over the fate of the South for the separation or unity with the north,

and the people of the south have chosen the separation. Yet things will not

stop at this poin because this separation will have many implications for the

two parties.