South Sudan
The working area of the African Mission Foundation is South Sudan and, for some years now, also in the north of Uganda. Since the end of the civil war in South Sudan (2020), we have been working in northern Uganda because many refugees from South Sudan are still staying there (2023). We tell you a little more about the history of South Sudan here.
From 1870 to 1955, most of South Sudan, along with northern Uganda, was a state of Egypt. The name was then Equatoria (after the Equator). The state of Equatoria was completely above the equator itself. After 1955, South Sudan was part of the Sudan, an independent colony of England, which had occupied Egypt in 1882
On January 9, 2005, the Sudanese government, led by Omar al-Bashir, signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the SPLM. It was agreed that South Sudan was a separate unit with an autonomous status within The Sudan.
The chairman of the SPLM Torit, John Garang, was appointed vice president in Al-Bashir’s government under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. On July 30, 2005, the helicopter carrying Garang crashed. Garang did not survive the accident, after which serious riots broke out in Khartoum and other Sudanese cities. Salva Kiir Mayardit (SPLM), the Vice President of the Government of South Sudan, succeeded Garang as Vice President of South Sudan. From 2009 to 2011, South Sudan regularly experienced serious riots that killed hundreds of people every month.
Independent as of 2011
In January 2011, 99% of South Sudanese people voted for independence in a referendum. The Republic of South Sudan has existed since July 9, 2011.
South Sudan became a member of the United Nations on July 14, 2011 and a member of the African Union on July 27, 2011.
Civil War of 2013-2020
In December 2013, violent conflict broke out in the country. A power struggle ensued when President Kiir accused his former Vice President Riek Machar and ten others of plotting a coup. Fights then broke out. It became a protracted civil war, in which a ceasefire was negotiated several times at the hands of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a regional consultative body. The UN peacekeeping force UNMISS also made an effort to protect the civilian population.
In August 2015, a truce was concluded in Ethiopia, under pressure from sanctions that the UN wanted to impose on both sides. Machar returned to Juba in April 2016 and resumed his position as Vice President. But in August 2016 things went wrong again, and Machar fled the country. The civil war that flared up again in 2017 led to a mass flight and famine, which did not officially end until June 2017. On 22 February 2020, Salva Kiir and Riek Machar agreed on a transitional government of national unity with Machar becoming vice president under Salva Kiir.
South Sudan has suffered greatly from the various wars; this has left the land neglected and infrastructure limited. Juba has an international airport and an asphalt road network is under construction to connect the country’s main towns.
Welcome to South Sudan!
In addition to the many problems South Sudan has, it is also a beautiful country with great opportunities. We at African Mission support projects in the regions of Juba, Mundri County and Wau. Welcome to one of the most beautiful countries in Africa! Welcome to South Sudan!
