9 July 2011

A 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement granted the region of Southern Sudan semi-autonomous status after successive civil unrest in the region made it impossible for peaceful governance of the region by national government.

Salva Kiir Mayardit, rebel leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and vice-president of then-Sudan, leads the calls for a referendum to garner public opinion on secession.

Following a regional referendum on secession, South Sudan became an independent state by 9 July 2011. The secession brought an end to the 220-year war that had plagued the region and frustrations with the lack of resources, jobs, government funding and infrastructure that the South Sudanese felt disproportionately allocated to the Northern region.

Salva Kiir Mayardit is appointed the countries first president following secession, to its 11, 5 million population with two legislative bodies supporting the executive branch and its capital city in Juba. 

References

Global Britannica. 2016. [Online] Available at: https://global.britannica.com/biography/Salva-Kiir-Mayardit [Accessed 20 March 2016].