An internationally brokered peace treaty in 2005 ended decades of civil war between the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum and the black African southern region. The accord called for national elections, now set for this April, and for a referendum in the south, next January, on secession.
Africa Analyst: Elections 'Tall Task' in Sudan
Published March 3, 2010
As presidential elections and a vote on north-south succession approach, Zach Vertin of the International Crisis Group sat down with NewsHour special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro in Sudan to discuss the challenges the country still faces. NewsHour correspondent Larisa Epatko reports on their meeting.
Sudan is holding its first multi-party elections in more than two decades in April. "It's going to be difficult, particularly among communities that haven't exercised this democratic experience before. A large percent of the population is illiterate," said Zach Vertin of the International Crisis Group. "But, that said, I have seen some good things coming out of this." During voter registration "you could see the beginnings of democracy and a state here. But elections are going to be a tall task," he said.
In addition, some key items under a five-year peace agreement in Sudan require further negotiation, including demarcation of the north-south border, distribution of oil revenues, and the holding of a referendum for the south to decide if it wants to stay unified with the north, according to Vertin...
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Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on the expectations and high hopes of the predominantly Christian southern Sudanese voters, who are heading to the polls in this historic bid to separate from Sudan's Ar
Celebrating expected secession, south Sudan prepares for transition's challenges.
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Larisa Epatko is a reporter-producer for the PBS NewsHour's foreign affairs beat, producing multimedia reports for the Web site and contributing to the broadcast. She runs the World View...
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Fred de Sam Lazaro is director of the Project for Under-Told Stories at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, a program that combines international journalism and teaching. He has served with The...
