The Future of Sudan panel discussion -- December 9, 2010

After decades of civil war, Southern Sudan will vote this coming January on whether to secede from Sudan and create Africa's newest independent state. The ramifications of independence by the geo-strategically critical region remain unclear, but may reverberate far beyond Southern Sudan's borders. With one month until the Southern Sudanese head to the polls, International Relief & Development (IRD), a leading development organization specializing in conflict and post-conflict environments with extensive experience in Southern Sudan, brought together a panel of distinguished regional experts on December 9, 2010, to provide a "before the vote snapshot," and explore the impact of the vote on the future of Sudan. Moderated by renowned radio journalist Kojo Nnamdi, the panel included John Dau, former Southern Sudanese "Lost Boy" and human rights activist, Enrico Carisch, former UN sanctions monitor in Sudan, Andrea Freeman, Program Analyst with USAID's Office of Sudan Programs, and Richard Owens, IRD's Director of Community Stabilization. Learn more: http://ird.org/sudan/panel-discussion.php