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South Sudan

Map of South Sudan (Courtesy: CIA World Factbook)

Featured Publications & Tools

  • Eye on the Two Sudans

    Experts from USIP are monitoring developments in the two Sudans following South Sudan's declaration of independence on July 9.

  • Local Justice in Southern Sudan

    This study is the result of collaboration between the United States Institute of Peace and the Rift Valley Institute (RVI), leveraging the former’s broader work on customary justice and legal pluralism and the latter’s extensive knowledge of the region. This report empirically analyzes the current dynamics of justice at the local level, identifying priorities for reform according to the expressed needs and perceptions of local litigants.

  • State Building in South Sudan

    With its secession from Sudan on July 9, 2011, South Sudan not only gained its eagerly-awaited independence, but also embarked onto the long road of state building. Over the past several months, the new country has begun to confront the myriad challenges it faces in sustainable development, good governance, and capacity building. In addition, the world's newest state is also coping with cross-cutting issues of managing resources, constructing a sense of nationhood, and contending with problems particular to youth and women. These reports begin to address some of the central challenges to statebuilding in South Sudan.

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Latest from USIP on South Sudan

Traditional Dancing in Sudan (Photo Credit: Jeff Krentel/USIP)Overview

Read about the first anniversary of the independence of South Sudan

While South Sudan has achieved its long-awaited independence, the nation-building process is just beginning. In addition to building the infrastructure of the country from the ground up – from roads and hospitals to a new constitution – the world’s newest nation faces remarkably similar political challenges to those in the north, as it must find ways to share power among and accommodate its ethnic and tribal diversity. Moreover, the government of South Sudan will have to lead security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization and retintegration processes to transform the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army into a national army.

In addition to these internal challenges, in the past few months tensions between the north and south have come to a head. In May, violence erupted in the hotly disputed border area of Abyei, killing an unknown number of civilians and creating a humanitarian crisis through the displacement an estimated 100,000 people. While the north and south agreed to temporary security arrangements for Abyei, including the withdrawal of the northern Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), the deployment of Ethiopian peacekeepers, and the creation of a demilitarized zone under the auspices of a U.N.-approved security force, the long-term viability of these arrangements are still unclear.

As South Sudan deals with challenges posed by a massive influx of returnees, threats from rebel militia and the north, and the strengthening of state institutions, its people are working towards a more peaceful future.

  • Learn about USIP's work in the Two Sudans
  • Learn about USIP's work in Sudan

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