On January 22, 2011, a commanding percentage of voters in Southern Sudan's Independence Referendum voted in favor of secession — an electoral action which proposed splitting Southern Sudan from the North. The vote followed a December 2009 agreement between the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). A total of 98.83 percent of approximately 3.8 million southern Sudanese voters supported the measure, which far exceeded the minimum requirements of 60 percent voter turnout and 51 percent in favor required for the referendum vote to have legal effect. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir accepted the result of the referendum in February 2011. The Republic of South Sudan was recognized as an independent country on July 9, 2011.

Sudanese coat of arms

Learn more about Sudan and the laws governing secession from the JURIST news archive.

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