It is not often we have the chance to open a new country group! But indeed, as of July 28th Africa welcomed its newest member to the African Union. As a result, we have created the South Sudan group for members who share an interest in this new country and it’s development moving forward.
A remarkable history, here is a background as published on Wikipedia. Please feel free to add or make additional reference.
South Sudan, officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Its current capital, economic center and largest city is Juba. However, the capital city will be moved to the more centrally-located Ramciel.
South Sudan is bordered by Ethiopia to the east, Kenya to the southeast, Uganda to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the southwest, the Central African Republic to the west and Sudan to the north. South Sudan includes the vast swamp region of the Sudd formed by the White Nile, locally called the Bahr al Jabal.
South Sudan was part of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Independence was achieved in 1956 and the area became part of the Republic of the Sudan. Following the First Sudanese Civil War, the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed in 1972 and lasted until 1983. A second Sudanese civil war soon developed and ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005. Later that year, southern autonomy was restored when an Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan was formed. South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011.
On 14 July 2011, South Sudan became a United Nations member state. It joined the African Union on 28 July 2011.