For the past month or so, I have been trying to discern whether I was really meant to return to Sudan in September. I had made the connections with Five Talents, Inc. I had met the people, attended meetings and started to prepare for going. I had spoken with David Copley and spoke to him about stopping in Juba. I was excited that I might be going through Nairobi, Kenya and ending up in Wau, The Republic of South Sudan. I was excited to be revisiting and old friend in a new country.
I remembered the time leading up to my trip in 2008. Every problem that I put before saying no, was taken care of. A house and cat sitter, a sabbatical granted, funds raised.
This time, not so easy to recognize who was in control.
However, little by little who was in control became very apparent. In order to make sure that I was really listening a messenger I could not ignore came calling. The Rev. Canon Lloyd Casson.
The result, an adventure in a different direction, one that does not require leaving Delaware. But it does mean much time will be spent working toward the continued education of young women utilizing the same skills needed in Sudan.
Then is my continued involvement in the organization the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan. The work on their annual conference and the up coming expense of attending General Convention in Indianapolis in 2012, both seem to be asking for funds that might go toward funding another trip.
Then my 24 year-old heat pump decided to leak in the basement. Imagine being told I needed $8,000-$10,000 to replace it entirely. Or $2,000 towards replacing the pan.
Jeez Lueez.
Ok, I might not have been paying attention, but did you have to shout?
7/31/2011
7/09/2011
South Sudan becomes an independent Nation. Celebrate!
8 July 2011 Last updated at 19:19 ET
Sudan earlier became the first state to officially recognise its new neighbour.
The south's independence follows decades of conflict with the north in which some 1.5 million people died.
Celebrations in Juba began at midnight (2100 GMT). A countdown clock in the city centre reached zero and the new national anthem was played on television.
South Sudan became the 193rd country recognised by the UN and the 54th UN member state in Africa.
A formal independence ceremony is due to be held later on Saturday.
The Speaker of the South Sudan Legislative Assembly, James Wani Igga, is expected to read out the Proclamation of the Independence of South Sudan at 1145 (0845 GMT). Minutes later Sudan's national flag will be lowered and the new flag of South Sudan will be raised.
In addition to Mr Bashir and Mr Ban, attendees will include former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, the US permanent representative to the UN, Susan Rice, and the head of the US military's Africa Command, Gen Carter Ham.
Under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, a referendum was held on independence, which was favoured by more than 99% of voters.
The new country is rich in oil, but one of the least developed countries in the world, where one in seven children dies before the age of five.
Unresolved disputes between the north and south, particularly over the new border, have also raised the possibility of renewed conflict.
On Friday, Sudan's Minister of Presidential Affairs, Bakri Hassan Saleh, announced that it recognised "the Republic of South Sudan as an independent state, according to the borders existing on 1 January 1956", when Sudan gained independence from Britain.
Fears of fresh conflict resurfaced after recent fighting in two border areas, Abyei and South Kordofan, which forced some 170,000 people from their homes.
But separate deals - and the withdrawal of rival forces from the border - have calmed tensions.
The UN Security Council has passed a resolution approving a new 7,000-strong peacekeeping force for South Sudan - but this is basically a rebranding of the force which was already in Sudan, mostly in the south.
Khartoum has said its mandate would not be renewed, leading the US to argue that the 1,000 UN troops should be allowed to remain in South Kordofan. The 1,000 troops in the disputed town of Abyei are to be replaced by 4,200 Ethiopian soldiers.
Our correspondent says keeping both the north and the south stable long after the celebratory parties have ended will be a mighty challenge.
The two sides must still decide on issues such as drawing up the new border and how to divide Sudan's debts and oil wealth.
Analysts say the priority for Khartoum will be to negotiate a favourable deal on oil revenue, as most oilfields lie in the south. At present, the revenues are being shared equally.
Khartoum has some leverage, as most of the oil pipelines flow north to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
Citizenship is also a key issue which has not yet been decided.
A new law passed by the National Assembly in Khartoum has withdrawn Sudanese citizenship from all southerners.
The UN refugee agency (UNCHR), has urged both governments to prevent statelessness.
South Sudan becomes an independent nation
South Sudan has become the world's newest nation, the climax of a process made possible by the 2005 peace deal that ended a long and bloody civil war.
Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon are among international dignitaries attending celebrations in the capital, Juba.Sudan earlier became the first state to officially recognise its new neighbour.
The south's independence follows decades of conflict with the north in which some 1.5 million people died.
Celebrations in Juba began at midnight (2100 GMT). A countdown clock in the city centre reached zero and the new national anthem was played on television.
South Sudan became the 193rd country recognised by the UN and the 54th UN member state in Africa.
Continue reading the main story 
Officials had planned for people to hold quiet celebrations at home, with the formal declaration of independence due later on Saturday.
But the people clearly couldn't wait. Two hours before midnight and lines of cars zoomed around town packed with people waving flags and waiting to celebrate.
When the final countdown arrived, the atmosphere was wild. Groups ran down roads, dancing to drum beats. Soldiers and policemen joined in too, waving paper flags and laughing.
A sign read: "Congratulations, free at last, South Sudan." But the people didn't need to read the message - they were already dancing and leaping with happiness.
"It is a shout of freedom," said Alfred Tut, lifting his head back and screaming.
At the scene
But the people clearly couldn't wait. Two hours before midnight and lines of cars zoomed around town packed with people waving flags and waiting to celebrate.
When the final countdown arrived, the atmosphere was wild. Groups ran down roads, dancing to drum beats. Soldiers and policemen joined in too, waving paper flags and laughing.
A sign read: "Congratulations, free at last, South Sudan." But the people didn't need to read the message - they were already dancing and leaping with happiness.
"It is a shout of freedom," said Alfred Tut, lifting his head back and screaming.
The BBC's Will Ross in Juba says the new country's problems are being put aside for the night, and there is an air of great jubilation.
People are in the streets, cheering, waving South Sudan flags, banging drums and chanting the name of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, he adds.A formal independence ceremony is due to be held later on Saturday.
The Speaker of the South Sudan Legislative Assembly, James Wani Igga, is expected to read out the Proclamation of the Independence of South Sudan at 1145 (0845 GMT). Minutes later Sudan's national flag will be lowered and the new flag of South Sudan will be raised.
In addition to Mr Bashir and Mr Ban, attendees will include former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, the US permanent representative to the UN, Susan Rice, and the head of the US military's Africa Command, Gen Carter Ham.
Under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, a referendum was held on independence, which was favoured by more than 99% of voters.
The new country is rich in oil, but one of the least developed countries in the world, where one in seven children dies before the age of five.
Unresolved disputes between the north and south, particularly over the new border, have also raised the possibility of renewed conflict.
On Friday, Sudan's Minister of Presidential Affairs, Bakri Hassan Saleh, announced that it recognised "the Republic of South Sudan as an independent state, according to the borders existing on 1 January 1956", when Sudan gained independence from Britain.
Continue reading the main story
'Southern brothers' South Sudan
Facts and figures:- Population: 7.5-9.7 million
- Size: 619,745 sq km (239,285 sq miles), larger than Spain and Portugal combined
- Major languages: English, Arabic (both official), Juba Arabic, Dinka
- Religion: Traditional and a Christian minority
- Main export: Oil
- One of world's least developed countries: Worst maternal mortality rate; most children below 13 not in school; 84% of women are illiterate
- Relations with Sudan: Dividing debts and oil; border disputes; citizenship
- Security: At least seven active rebel groups
President Bashir, who agreed the 2005 peace deal with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), stressed his country's "readiness to work with our southern brothers and help them set up their state so that, God willing, this state will be stable and develop".
"The co-operation between us will be excellent, particularly when it comes to marking and preserving the border so there is a movement of citizens and goods via this border," he told journalists in Khartoum. Fears of fresh conflict resurfaced after recent fighting in two border areas, Abyei and South Kordofan, which forced some 170,000 people from their homes.
But separate deals - and the withdrawal of rival forces from the border - have calmed tensions.
The UN Security Council has passed a resolution approving a new 7,000-strong peacekeeping force for South Sudan - but this is basically a rebranding of the force which was already in Sudan, mostly in the south.
Khartoum has said its mandate would not be renewed, leading the US to argue that the 1,000 UN troops should be allowed to remain in South Kordofan. The 1,000 troops in the disputed town of Abyei are to be replaced by 4,200 Ethiopian soldiers.
Our correspondent says keeping both the north and the south stable long after the celebratory parties have ended will be a mighty challenge.
The two sides must still decide on issues such as drawing up the new border and how to divide Sudan's debts and oil wealth.
Analysts say the priority for Khartoum will be to negotiate a favourable deal on oil revenue, as most oilfields lie in the south. At present, the revenues are being shared equally.
Khartoum has some leverage, as most of the oil pipelines flow north to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
Citizenship is also a key issue which has not yet been decided.
A new law passed by the National Assembly in Khartoum has withdrawn Sudanese citizenship from all southerners.
The UN refugee agency (UNCHR), has urged both governments to prevent statelessness.
Sudan: A country divided
Show regions
The great divide across Sudan is visible even from space, as this Nasa satellite image shows. The northern states are a blanket of desert, broken only by the fertile Nile corridor. South Sudan is covered by green swathes of grassland, swamps and tropical forest.
7/08/2011
BBC Coverage of South Sudan Independence
8 July 2011 Last updated at 11:40 ET 
There are dress rehearsals in Juba for the independence day ceremony
Sudan has announced its official recognition of its new neighbour - the first country to do so.
South Sudan's independence follows decades of conflict with the north, in which some 1.5 million people died.
Under the 2005 peace deal, a referendum was held on independence, which was favoured by more than 99% of voters.
The new country will be rich in oil, but it will be one of the least developed countries in the world following the long conflict.
'No quarrel' The celebrations will begin after midnight local time (2100 GMT) around the countdown clock in the centre of Juba.
The BBC's Will Ross in the town says in the lead-up to the historic event, radio stations have been blaring out South Sudan's new anthem.
"The Republic of Sudan announces that it recognises the Republic of South Sudan as an independent state, according to the borders existing on 1 January 1 1956," Minister of Presidential Affairs Bakri Hassan Saleh said in a statement broadcast on state television.
Earlier this week, President Bashir pledged his support to South Sudan and said he wanted the new country to be "secure and stable".
There had been fears that war could resume after recent fighting in two border areas, Abyei and South Kordofan, which has forced some 170,000 people from their homes.
But separate deals in recent weeks, and the withdrawal of rival forces from the border, have calmed tensions.
The UN Security Council has passed a resolution approving a new 7,000-strong peacekeeping force for South Sudan - but this is basically a rebranding of the force which was already in Sudan, mostly in the south.
The government in Khartoum has said their mandate would not be renewed, leading the US to argue that the 1,000 UN troops should be allowed to remain in South Kordofan.
The 1,000 troops in the disputed town of Abyei are to be replaced by 4,200 Ethiopian soldiers.
Challenges ahead Rebecca Garang, the wife of the late John Garang who led the southern rebels in the civil war, told the BBC her people had no quarrel with the people of the north, only with their government.
"There are many colleagues and comrades who perished during the war but we are here for their blood," she said.
"So we are very happy and grateful for their contribution for this nation."
President Omar al-Bashir warned 'brotherly relations' depend on non-interference in each others' affairs Our correspondent says keeping both the predominately Muslim north and the south stable long after the celebratory parties have ended will be a mighty challenge.
The two sides must still decide on issues such as drawing up the new border and how to divide Sudan's debts and oil wealth.
Analysts say the priority for Khartoum will be to negotiate a favourable deal on oil revenue, as most oilfields lie in the south.
At present, the revenues are being shared equally.
Khartoum has some leverage, as most of the oil pipelines flow north to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
Citizenship is also a key issue which has not yet been decided.
According to the state-run Sudan Radio, the citizenship of South Sudanese living in the north has now been revoked.
Earlier this week, thousands of southern Sudanese civil servants working in the north had to leave their jobs ahead of the split.
South Sudan counts down to independence
There are dress rehearsals in Juba for the independence day ceremony South Sudan is counting down the hours until it becomes the world's newest nation on Saturday 9 July.
Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and dignitaries from around the world will be attending the celebrations in the southern capital, Juba.Sudan has announced its official recognition of its new neighbour - the first country to do so.
South Sudan's independence follows decades of conflict with the north, in which some 1.5 million people died.
Under the 2005 peace deal, a referendum was held on independence, which was favoured by more than 99% of voters.
The new country will be rich in oil, but it will be one of the least developed countries in the world following the long conflict.
'No quarrel' The celebrations will begin after midnight local time (2100 GMT) around the countdown clock in the centre of Juba.
The BBC's Will Ross in the town says in the lead-up to the historic event, radio stations have been blaring out South Sudan's new anthem.
"The Republic of Sudan announces that it recognises the Republic of South Sudan as an independent state, according to the borders existing on 1 January 1 1956," Minister of Presidential Affairs Bakri Hassan Saleh said in a statement broadcast on state television.
Earlier this week, President Bashir pledged his support to South Sudan and said he wanted the new country to be "secure and stable".
Continue reading the main story
South Sudan
Facts and figures:- Population: 7.5-9.7 million
- Size: 619,745 sq km (239,285 sq miles), larger than Spain and Portugal combined
- Major languages: English, Arabic (both official), Juba Arabic, Dinka
- Religion: Traditional and a Christian minority
- Main export: Oil
- One of world's least developed countries: Worst maternal mortality rate; most children below 13 not in school; 84% of women are illiterate
- Relations with Sudan: Dividing debts and oil; border disputes; citizenship
- Security: At least seven active rebel groups
"We will bless our brothers in the south over their country and we wish them success," said Mr Bashir, who agreed the 2005 peace deal with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
But he warned that "brotherly relations" depended on secure borders and non-interference in each others' affairs.There had been fears that war could resume after recent fighting in two border areas, Abyei and South Kordofan, which has forced some 170,000 people from their homes.
But separate deals in recent weeks, and the withdrawal of rival forces from the border, have calmed tensions.
The UN Security Council has passed a resolution approving a new 7,000-strong peacekeeping force for South Sudan - but this is basically a rebranding of the force which was already in Sudan, mostly in the south.
The government in Khartoum has said their mandate would not be renewed, leading the US to argue that the 1,000 UN troops should be allowed to remain in South Kordofan.
The 1,000 troops in the disputed town of Abyei are to be replaced by 4,200 Ethiopian soldiers.
Challenges ahead Rebecca Garang, the wife of the late John Garang who led the southern rebels in the civil war, told the BBC her people had no quarrel with the people of the north, only with their government.
"There are many colleagues and comrades who perished during the war but we are here for their blood," she said.
"So we are very happy and grateful for their contribution for this nation."
President Omar al-Bashir warned 'brotherly relations' depend on non-interference in each others' affairs The two sides must still decide on issues such as drawing up the new border and how to divide Sudan's debts and oil wealth.
Analysts say the priority for Khartoum will be to negotiate a favourable deal on oil revenue, as most oilfields lie in the south.
At present, the revenues are being shared equally.
Khartoum has some leverage, as most of the oil pipelines flow north to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
Citizenship is also a key issue which has not yet been decided.
According to the state-run Sudan Radio, the citizenship of South Sudanese living in the north has now been revoked.
Earlier this week, thousands of southern Sudanese civil servants working in the north had to leave their jobs ahead of the split.
Sudan: A country divided
Show regions
The great divide across Sudan is visible even from space, as this Nasa satellite image shows. The northern states are a blanket of desert, broken only by the fertile Nile corridor. South Sudan is covered by green swathes of grassland, swamps and tropical forest.
Can A Ringtone Help Unite a Nation
Can A Ringtone Help Unite A Nation?
Fresh off Fourth of July weekend, I'm now ready to celebrate the independence of another country: that of the new South Sudan. On July 9, the nation will formally declare its independence. As soon as a week later, South Sudan will become the 193rd member of the United Nations.
Our project manger in Sudan, Harun Matuma, e-mailed to tell us people are so excited there that many have made the new national anthem their cellphone ringtone! This made me think, can a ringtone help unite a country?
On days like July 4, we here in America unite around patriotic songs, the Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. As July 9 approaches, it seems that people in South Sudan are uniting around their own flag and their own national anthem.
In the US, touchstones like the Flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the National Anthem bind us together. That's not always easy to do, as we're a diverse bunch. For example, my neighbors from El Salvador, Bolivia, and India – they all participated in last weekend's July 4 festivities. They were lighting off fireworks, going to the parade and celebrating their adopted country's freedom.
South Sudan is also a diverse nation in need of touchstones that can help people come together as one. Since 2005, Five Talents has been a part of this "coming together," engaging clans and tribes at the grassroots level. Our 69 savings and loan associations are comprised of more than 1,000 men and women spread across about 50 communities in Renk, Lainya, Juba, Wau and Malakal. These areas include many different ethnic clans -- some of which have been fighting for years.
One of the most difficult areas to work is Malakal. Our director of program, Suzanne Schultz, met with members of the Malakal associations in the capital of Juba earlier this year. These people had reached out to strangers and invited them to participate in our literacy and financial education training sessions.
"[These group members] met people in rural communities where they hadn't mixed with a different clan or different tribe before," Suzanne told me when she got back. "They met people who were hurt and killed [in the recent violence], and it changed everything [about their relationships]."
Suzanne's story is an example of the unification that needs to happen on a large scale if South Sudan is to flourish as a nation. Groups of people who at one time were fighting or avoiding each other must now grab-hold of the hand of their neighbor and work together to build a new nation.
The success of this unification will, of course, require more than a ringtone, more than organizations like Five Talents. It will take God's blessing.
Fortunately, the people of this brand new nation seem to recognize this truth. Here are the words to the tune that is played every time a proud new citizen's phone rings in South Sudan:
Oh God,
We praise and glorify you
For your grace on South Sudan
Land of great abundance
Uphold us united in peace and harmony.
Oh motherland
Arise! Raise your flag with the guiding star
And sing songs of freedom with joy,
For justice, liberty and prosperity
Shall forever more reign.
Oh great patriots!
Let us stand up in silence and respect
Saluting our martyrs whose blood
Cemented our national foundation,
We vow to protect our nation.
God bless South Sudan.
Our project manger in Sudan, Harun Matuma, e-mailed to tell us people are so excited there that many have made the new national anthem their cellphone ringtone! This made me think, can a ringtone help unite a country?
On days like July 4, we here in America unite around patriotic songs, the Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. As July 9 approaches, it seems that people in South Sudan are uniting around their own flag and their own national anthem.
In the US, touchstones like the Flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the National Anthem bind us together. That's not always easy to do, as we're a diverse bunch. For example, my neighbors from El Salvador, Bolivia, and India – they all participated in last weekend's July 4 festivities. They were lighting off fireworks, going to the parade and celebrating their adopted country's freedom.
South Sudan is also a diverse nation in need of touchstones that can help people come together as one. Since 2005, Five Talents has been a part of this "coming together," engaging clans and tribes at the grassroots level. Our 69 savings and loan associations are comprised of more than 1,000 men and women spread across about 50 communities in Renk, Lainya, Juba, Wau and Malakal. These areas include many different ethnic clans -- some of which have been fighting for years.One of the most difficult areas to work is Malakal. Our director of program, Suzanne Schultz, met with members of the Malakal associations in the capital of Juba earlier this year. These people had reached out to strangers and invited them to participate in our literacy and financial education training sessions.
"[These group members] met people in rural communities where they hadn't mixed with a different clan or different tribe before," Suzanne told me when she got back. "They met people who were hurt and killed [in the recent violence], and it changed everything [about their relationships]."
Suzanne's story is an example of the unification that needs to happen on a large scale if South Sudan is to flourish as a nation. Groups of people who at one time were fighting or avoiding each other must now grab-hold of the hand of their neighbor and work together to build a new nation.
The success of this unification will, of course, require more than a ringtone, more than organizations like Five Talents. It will take God's blessing.
Fortunately, the people of this brand new nation seem to recognize this truth. Here are the words to the tune that is played every time a proud new citizen's phone rings in South Sudan:
Oh God,
We praise and glorify you
For your grace on South Sudan
Land of great abundance
Uphold us united in peace and harmony.
Oh motherland
Arise! Raise your flag with the guiding star
And sing songs of freedom with joy,
For justice, liberty and prosperity
Shall forever more reign.
Oh great patriots!
Let us stand up in silence and respect
Saluting our martyrs whose blood
Cemented our national foundation,
We vow to protect our nation.
God bless South Sudan.
7/05/2011
Countdown to Independence
PRESS RELEASE
Government of Southern Sudan approves Agenda of Celebrations :
With one week to go before the independence of southern Sudan is declared on July 9th, the Government has revealed the agenda for the landmark celebrations. A host of concerts, sports events and religious prayers are taking place all week, reaching a climax on the day itself in the capital Juba and across the countryʼs ten states.
The main planned events will centre around the 8th, 9th and 10th July. On the eve of independence, citizens across southern Sudan will be encouraged to go to churches or gather in public squares to light candles and say prayers, to herald the birth of the new nation. Dancing and festivities will take place in villages across the country.
The Catholic Church has initiated 9 days of prayer on the theme of tolerance and harmonious inter-ethnic and inter-religious relationships. On Independence eve, neighbours from all faiths will be encouraged to share a meal together. Other faiths including Islamic groups are taking similar steps.
At midnight, bells will be rung across the new country, and drums will be sounded, to mark the historic transition from Southern Sudan to the ʻRepublic of South Sudanʼ (RSS) – the worldʼs 193rd country.
In Juba, on Saturday July 9th, the official program will begin at 10am at the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum and last until the early afternoon, with a parade, official acts and a series of speeches. Some 3,500 representatives will attend including kings, chiefs and elders from the 10 states, leaders from the business community, civil society, womenʼs groups and the youth movement. Foreign dignitaries will include some 30 African Heads of State, leaders of regional and multilateral organisations, as well as foreign ministers and other senior officials. Over a hundred thousand citizens will bear witness to the events at the Mausoleum, and many others will watch on large screens across the city. Events will also be broadcast live on national television (SSTV) available across three continents, and by international media. Simultaneous activities will take place across the land. Security measures are being put in place all over southern Sudan to ensure a peaceful and orderly environment for the weekʼs activities.
The parade of 1500 people will include a March-Past of groups from different branches of the military, including the Army, Police, prison service, wildlife service and fire brigade. There will also be six groups of folklore dancers from different parts of the country, joined by womenʼs groups, civil society and young people. During the ceremony, the National Choir and hundreds of young South Sudanese will lead the singing of the new National Anthem, which was chosen through a competition of 49 entries by musicians, poets and academics. The song, which reflects the unity, identity, the landʼs resources and the liberation struggle of the country, has been taught over the last weeks to government officials, security organs, civil society and other groups across the country.
There will be a Proclamation of Independence of the Republic of South Sudan by the Speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) Rt. Hon James Wani Igga. The flag of Sudan will then be lowered and the flag of the new Republic of South Sudan will be raised, to the tune of flag ceremonial trumpets. President, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit will then sign the new Transitional Constitution into force. He will then take the oath of Office as the first President of the Republic of South Sudan.
Main speakers will include the President of South Sudan H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, Head of the UN General Assembly and representatives from the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Arab League, European Union, United States (representing the Americas) and China (representing Asia.)
Information Minister Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin said: “It will be a historic occasion for all our people who have traveled a long and difficult road to the birth of this nation. We all know we face many challenges ahead – we will face them as united, peaceful and independent and build a stable and prosperous country.”
In the evening, there will be an open-air concert of folklore and music at the Nyakoron centre, and other concerts over the following days featuring distinctive music from the countryʼs different ethnic tribes.
Football matches will also be held, including a match between the recently-formed national team of South Sudan versus Kenya on the 10th July, and a basketball match against Uganda on the 11th.
As well as planning for the commemoration, other work has been underway to establish the foundations of the new Republic. Over the last few weeks, the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly has passed some key laws that are prerequisites to the establishment of the nation. These include the Nationality and Citizenship Act, and laws on the National Flag, Anthem, Coat of Arms and States Seal. On July 1st, the Council of Ministers approved crucial draft legislation relating to the financial framework of the country, to be considered by the Assembly. These include draft bills on the formation of the Central Bank, public finance management, taxation, investment promotion, company law and medals and insignia. The Transitional Constitution is currently before Parliament.
NOTE TO EDITORS: The Republic of South Sudan (RSS) will become the 193rd country in the world and the 55th country in Africa. Its independence marks the end of the interim period under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005 to end decades of civil war between the North and South.
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