Waging Peace: The Republic of Sudan and The Republic of South Sudan

Referendum Monitoring

The referendum on the self-determination of Southern Sudan was described in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) as the final benchmark of the agreement that ended more than 20 years of civil conflict between the North and the South.

The Carter Center launched its observation mission in August 2010 to assess the referendum and deployed core field staff and observers to monitor the comprehensive referendum process.

In September 2010, 16 Carter Center long-term observers deployed in teams of two, with four teams based in the South, one team in the Abyei Area, and three teams in the North. In November 2010, the Center deployed an additional 56 medium-term observers to assess the political environment before, during, and after the voter registration period that lasted from Nov. 15–Dec. 8. In addition to the long-term observers already on the ground, 30 observers were deployed throughout Sudan to visit registration sites in the North and South, and 26 observers were deployed to the eight out-of-country registration locations specified in the referendum act – Australia, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, United Kingdom, and the United States.

January 2011 Referendum
In January 2011, The Carter Center deployed more than 50 short-term observers to observe the voting, counting, and tabulation for the referendum. The delegation was led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former Prime Minister of Tanzania and Justice Joseph Sinde Warioba, and Carter Center President and CEO Dr. John Hardman. Ninety-seven percent of registered voters turned out to cast a ballot during the Jan. 9-15 voting period; an overwhelming majority (more than 98 percent) voted for secession. With the exception of a few isolated incidents, polling was conducted in a peaceful and orderly environment. The Center determined that the referendum process was consistent with international standards for democratic elections and represented the genuine expression of the will of Southern Sudanese voters.

Blue Nile Popular Consultation Process
The Center observed the Blue Nile popular consultation process at the invitation of the Blue Nile Popular Consultation Commission. Citizen hearings ran from Jan. 14 – Feb. 2, 2011. At the hearings, individuals were invited to speak on the question of whether the CPA has fulfilled their aspirations for the state. The Center deployed three observer teams in Blue Nile, where they attended 116 hearings in each of the six circuits where the consultations occurred. One team remained in Blue Nile to observe the thematic hearings and to follow up with state legislative assembly members, the commission, and other key actors.

South Kordofan Legislative Assembly Elections
The Carter Center also deployed 14 observers to South Kordofan to assess the postponed state legislative assembly elections. The polling period lasted from May 2-4, 2011, followed by counting and tabulation. Teams were based in Abassiya, Abujibayha, Dilling, Kadugli, Kauda, Lagawa, and Muglad. Additionally, six long-term observers monitored the voter registration process in South Kordofan from Jan. 24-Feb. 12. Observer teams remained in the state to assess the nominations and campaign periods in the lead-up to the start of polling.