Southern Sudanese voting in a long-awaited Southern Sudan self-determination referendum. 9th January 2011. (-)

This day, 13 years ago, marks the conclusion of a three-day referendum in what is now South Sudan for citizens of then autonomous region to choose between unity with the north and independence.

The referendum took place in the three regions of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria from 9 to 15 January 2011,

The referendum was one of the consequences of the 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the Khartoum central government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M).

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

On 7 February 2011, the referendum commission published the final results, with a landslide majority of 98.83% voting in favour of independence.

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, and the majority vote for secession is not in question.

The predetermined date for the creation of an independent state was 9 July 2011.