On July 9, 2011, South Sudan officially became the 193rd United Nations member, following a referendum in which nearly 99 percent of voters chose independence . That day in Juba represented euphoria after a 2005 peace deal ended over two decades of civil war during which approximately 2 million people died .
But independence proved not to be a conclusion. By December 2013, internal political rivalry between President Kiir and Riek Machar triggered conflict that claimed an estimated 400,000 lives before a 2018 peace agreement brought relative calm.
Colonial Legacy and Institutional Weakness
The British‑Egyptian administration that once governed Sudan invested little in southern infrastructure or institutions, leaving an uneven and fragmented state at independence. South Sudan now ranks 184th out of 191 on the UN Human Development Index, with roughly 75 percent of its population food insecure and more than 2 million internally displaced .
Diaspora Reflections: Beyond the Flag
Voices from the diaspora stress that independence was hard‑won but not an endpoint.
Achol Jok Mach, a South Sudanese‑British activist, has noted:
“I was only ever told, ‘You are South Sudanese’… It was only much later that I learned I was Dinka.” Her words highlight how national identity often masks deep ethnic and cultural complexities that persist beyond independence.
Akol Miyen Kuol, a journalist and peace advocate based in Kenya and formerly with the BBC, has stated:
“An agreement between South Sudanese and South Sudanese will never be a bad peace”.
His poetry and campaigns like “Save the Last Train” in Juba murals reflect his conviction that unity must be built internally and sustained through civic engagement.
Simon Aban Deng, a South Sudanese‑American activist and survivor of child slavery, helped mobilise Western support leading up to independence. His advocacy included the Sudan Freedom Walk and raising international awareness about war‑time slavery.
The Diaspora’s Role in Rebuilding
Diaspora communities have played crucial roles since independence. In the United States, they lobbied for the Sudan Peace Act (2002), which laid legal groundwork for the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Remittances now contribute between 6 percent and nearly 24 percent of GDP, amounting to roughly USD 1.24 billion in 2021, supporting families, education, health and local development.
Yet structural challenges remain. Banking infrastructure is weak outside Juba. Many diaspora associations have limited scale and focus on informal remittances rather than formal national programmes.
Sports as Narrative Shift
Sport offers a new dimension for reshaping national image. Under former NBA player Luol Deng, now president of South Sudan’s Basketball Federation, the national team (the “Bright Stars”) qualified for both AfroBasket 2021 and the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Deng said:
“For all of us it is a journey that’s bigger than basketball… we want to keep on climbing.”
His comments reflect how sport can offer shared pride and narrative renewal, especially for diaspora‑born sons and daughters.
Rethinking Independence Narratives
South Sudan’s journey illustrates that the flag‑raising in 2011 was a starting line. Independence did not erase colonial legacies or infrastructural deficits. Ongoing peace and institution‑building requires time, civic engagement and leadership.
For diaspora Africans, the lesson is to remain involved beyond symbolism. Supporting community organisations that address education, health, gender equity — especially those led by women and youth — is essential.
Continuing the Journey
Independence should be seen not as a finale but as an invitation. South Sudan remains a work in progress, and its diaspora is vital. When Akol Miyen Kuol asserts that peace between South Sudanese “will never be a bad peace”, he affirms a shared responsibility.
When Achol Jok Mach admits she grasped ethnic identity late, she reminds us to confront our own complexity. And when Luol Deng aims to “keep on climbing” through sport, he points to ways we can rewrite narratives abroad.
South Sudan is still building its future. For pan‑African audiences in the diaspora, it is an opportunity to support not only nationhood but nation‑making — through funding, advocacy, institutional reform and cultural renewal. The post‑colonial finish line is a mirage.
The daily work remains.
Sources
- United States Institute of Peace. “The Sudanese Civil War.” https://www.usip.org
- BBC News. “South Sudan Referendum: 99% Vote for Independence.” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-12317927
- Council on Foreign Relations. “Civil War in South Sudan.” https://www.cfr.org
- UNDP Human Development Report 2023. https://hdr.undp.org
- World Food Programme South Sudan Overview. https://www.wfp.org/countries/south-sudan
- The World Bank. “South Sudan Economic Monitor, 2022.” https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/southsudan
- Al Jazeera. “South Sudan Leaders Extend Transitional Government by Two Years.” https://www.aljazeera.com
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