It looks like Africa's longest civil war between South Sudan and North Sudan, that killed nearly 2 million people and flooded the whole region with refugees is finally coming to an end. In a recent referendum, South Sudan voted overwhelmingly (98.83%) to declare its independence and decision to secede from the north. The referendum is the climax of a 2005 north-south peace accord that instilled democracy in the fractured country and opened the door to Africa's newest state.
With the decision to create a new Southern independent state, both North and South Sudan have to resolve some problems now: how to divide Sudan's crippling debt, how to position the north-south border, and how to share the oil revenue. It can be noted that Sudan's economy depends entirely on oil revenues and the Southern region controls the major share of oil production. If both regions can resolve these issues, we can certainly hope for peace in the conflict-ridden area of Sudan.
-Nisha Noor
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