ISP Dialogues: Referendum and recognition: the UN’s role in bringing the South Sudan’s splinters to independence

The Faculty of Law - Porto School is organising the event ISP Dialogues: Referendum and recognition: the UN's role in bringing South Sudan's splinters to independence, which will take place on November 20 at 11.30am.

The United Nations played a critical role in South Sudan’s pathway to independence, guiding the peace process, supporting the 2011 referendum, and facilitating global recognition of the new state. Following the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended decades of civil war, the UN, through the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), provided logistical and technical assistance to ensure a transparent and peaceful referendum, where over 98% of South Sudanese voters chose independence. The referendum marked a critical milestone in upholding the right to self-determination and recognition under international law, leading up to the admission as the UN’s 193rd member state. The UN’s role continued post-independence with a new mandate, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to support state-building. However, internal and external splinters underscored the complexity of the UN’s role in promoting sustainable peace, governance, and nation building in newly independent countries.