What's In Blue

Posted Mon 11 Jul 2011

South Sudan Independence

The Council will meet this afternoon (11 July) to consider South Sudan’s application for membership to the UN. Following the establishment of the Republic of South Sudan as an independent state, its president, Salva Kiir submitted an application for UN membership to the Secretary-General on 9 July.

The Secretary-General conveyed to the Council the letter from the president of South Sudan on Saturday 9 July. This afternoon the Council is expected to meet formally and establish an ad hoc committee of the Security Council on admission of new members chaired by the president of the Council. Following this meeting, the Committee will hold a closed meeting when it is expected to examine the application. All permanent members have recognised the independence of South Sudan and negotiations are not expected to be lengthy. If the Committee recommends admission it will draft a resolution to this effect which the Council is expected to adopt on Wednesday, 13 July at the high-level meeting on Sudan.

It is likely that the General Assembly will take up this issue and make a decision on admitting South Sudan to the UN on Thursday, 14 July. Admission, following a recommendation from the Security Council, requires the support of two-thirds of the UN membership (current membership stands at 192).

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