Dateline: July 10

Tonight Yalda Hakim presents Dateline from Juba, the capital of South Sudan, as the world’s newest nation celebrates its first day of independence.

Following years of conflict, the people of South Sudan voted overwhelmingly in favour of breaking away from the north in a referendum in January. The formal declaration of independence will take place on 9 July and Dateline will be there to witness the jubilation on the streets, and contemplate the road ahead for the new nation.

Dateline co-host Yalda Hakim says that freedom has come at a significant cost for South Sudan.

“Ongoing civil war and violence in Sudan has claimed more than two million lives and forced four million to flee their homes. As South Sudan finally achieves the independence it has been waiting for, Dateline will consider what the priorities are for the world’s newest nation, and how they will face the enormous challenges ahead.”

While excitement surrounds independence, the north and south are yet to agree on the key issue of how to divide Sudan’s oil wealth. South Sudan also has little infrastructure, poor education and health services for its estimated population of eight million, and one of the world’s highest infant mortality rates. The threat of a return to civil war also looms as disputes in the border areas of Abyei and South Kordofan continue.

Independence has, however, provided an opportunity for people who had fled Sudan to return. Hakim will also spend time with a Sudanese refugee couple who now reside in Australia. Encouraged by South Sudan’s new freedom, they returned to their home country to marry and explore ways to contribute to the rebuilding of their nation. Yalda Hakim’s special report on this couple will feature on Dateline on Sunday 24 July.

It airs tonight at 8:30pm on SBS ONE.