South Sudan's secession in contemporary Africa

Abstract

The Republic of South Sudan’s independence on 9 July 2011 revived the possibility of secession as means of self-determination. The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyse and assess the implication of secession on the African environment, with reference to South Sudan. The qualitative research approach enabled the researcher to draw parallels between literature and opinions of experts involved in South Sudan’s secession. Driving the secessionist approach are ideologies and greed of elites and peoples in power, religious differences and the unequal distribution of wealth and resources that exacerbate tensions between the fortunate peoples enjoying opportunities to develop and the excluded, utterly poor peoples just surviving. National and international attitudes sanction or veto the possibility to secede. Although secession could terminate continued disarray, it should only be considered if both states, as parties to the secession, could ensure the delivery of statehood responsibilities to their citizens and neighbouring communities.