Bridging the Governance Gap in South Sudan: Connecting Policy-Makers to Populations in Africa’s Newest Oil-Producing Country

On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became the newest country in Africa after it won a war of independence from the Sudanese government in Khartoum — a war that was largely fought over its right to govern its own natural resources. Notwithstanding this victory, a wide range of critically important governance policies have yet to be developed and implemented. While the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) may have defeated its rival in a recent referendum for independence, a formidable amount of work remains to be done. Despite the innumerable challenges facing the country, notable progress was made in the early stages of the post-independence period. During this time, the GOSS and international organizations had a crucial window during which fundamental improvements to health, nutrition, and food security were made possible. In addition, anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that household livelihoods had improved since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the belligerent parties and during the post-independence period. For example, resettlement activities returned many people previously displaced from their homes, allowing these households to resume their livelihoods. Moreover, improved infrastructure and flow of goods and services had a significantly positive effect on both the economy and the morale of the South Sudanese population.