The vote had taken place from 9 to 15 January 2011 in Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria on whether the region’s people should still be part of Sudan or become independence.

The commission led by Prof. Mohamed Ibrahim Khalil – announced in Khartoum that 98.83% of the voters in the referendum held in January 2011 were in favor of breaking away from the Muslim majority north.

“Those who voted for unity were 44,888, that is, 1.17%. Those who voted for separation were 3,792,518, that is, 98.83%,” commission head Mohamed Ibrahim Khalil said.

While the ballots were suspended in 10 of the 79 counties for exceeding 100% of the voter turnout, the number of votes was still well over the requirement of 60% turnout.

Then U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated the people of Southern Sudan for “a successful and inspiring” referendum, saying the US intended to formally recognize Southern Sudan in July.

Sudan’s leader Omar al-Bashir gave an assurance prior to the outcome that “we accept and welcome these results because they represent the will of the southern people”, BBC reported, amid fears of renewed conflict over the control of oil reserves.

Al-Bashir had previously stated that the southern region had a right to choose to secede and that the referendum was helpful because unity “could not be forced by power.”

He also said he would respect the outcome of the vote and support the south, but added that though secession was a right, it may not resolve issues for the south.

On 9th July 2011, South Sudan became the 54th independent country in Africa and the world’s newest nation after decades of devastating civil wars fought between the north and the south.

Tens of thousands poured into the streets of Juba city and other towns on a Saturday morning as the national flag was hoisted.

The referendum was enshrined in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Sudanese regime under President Omer Al Bashir and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) under Dr. John Garang in 2005.

– Abyei –

A simultaneous referendum was supposed to be held in Abyei on whether the disputed region should become part of South Sudan but it was postponed due to conflict over demarcation and residency rights.