World Welcomes Birth Of South Sudan

The world received the birth of the South Sudan state Saturday with welcome and hopes the move would put an end to the decades-long conflict with the North Sudan and pave the way for development in one of the world’s least developed nations.

North Sudan’s government was the first to recognize South Sudan on Friday, hours before the split took place.

Many world countries followed suit including the world major powers United States, China, Britain, France and Germany as well as Arab neighbor and strategic partner Egypt.

“This is an historic day, for South Sudan and the whole of Africa.’ Britain was proud to be among the first to recognise South Sudanese independence,” UK Prime Minster David Cameron said in a statement.

“We welcome South Sudan into the community of nations and look forward to building ever stronger links between the UK and South Sudan in the months and years ahead.” France also recognised the newly created Republic of South Sudan, calling for establishing diplomatic relations.

“France recognises and welcomes South Sudan to the community of nations,” President Nicolas Sarkozy said a statement from the French presidency.

The statement revealed that Sarkozy has proposed to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir “that the two countries establish diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors.”

Sarkozy also hailed the people of the two Sudans for having peacefully accomplished this historic step and pledged French support for their security and development.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the move as “a day of joy and great hope for the people” of the world’s new country.

“Germany has recognized the new state,” Merkel said in a statement.

“We welcome the Republic of South Sudan as a member of the international community of states and we are looking forward to working together,” she added.

Merkel said it was now important “to back South Sudan on the road to stability that will bring people peace, security and economic development,” adding that Germany was ready to help in these areas.

Egypt, the Arab populous and most power state, recognized that new state and sent a high-ranking official delegation to participate in the S. South independence declaration ceremony.

The declaration was announced by Foreign Minister Mohammad Al-Orabi upon his arrival at Juba Airport as part of to contribute to the event.

“South Sudan is a strategic asset for Egypt, which we cannot neglect or abandon,” he said, emphasizing that Egypt will play a leading role in supporting stability in South Sudan.

“This does not mean that we are taking sides, but that our relationship will be balanced between the North and South,” he added.

Al-Orabi said that Egypt will mediate to resolve any disputes between North and South, and that Cairo has prepared not only a foreign policy but also a development plan for South Sudan, such as in the sectors of electricity, agriculture and others.

Al-Orabi described the declaration of independence of South Sudan as a historic event and expressed his pleasure in attending celebrations marking the occasion.

“If the will of the people of the South is to have their own country, we respect their choice and respect its outcome.” After decades of war, fought at the cost of millions of lives, and before a crowd of tens of thousands of Sudanese and foreign dignitaries, the world’s newest nation was born in Juba.

To rapturous cries and tears of joy, South Sudan on Saturday became the 193rd country recognised by the United Nations, and also one of the world’s least developed.

Independence comes six months after a January referendum in which nearly 99 per cent of South Sudanese voted to separate from the north.

The ballot was mandated by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the 2005 deal aimed at ending decades of civil war.

Some 2.5 million people were killed during the conflict between southern rebels and the government in Khartoum.
The new state of South Sudan is one of the poorest and most underdeveloped in the world, but many seem optimistic that independence from the north will mean a better standard of living.