South Sudan
In the context of the war in Sudan, General Hemedti’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have tightened their grip on El-Fasher. As capital of Western Darfur, this city holds significant strategic and symbolic importance in the ongoing conflict. Strategically, ElFasher represents the last stronghold in the region still under the control of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Its capture would grant Hemedti’s paramilitary forces control over the entire region, potentially allowing them to establish an autonomous geopolitical entity. According to some sources, seizing the region would also strengthen the RSF’s logistics chain, securing supply lines from eastern Libya and Chad. Symbolically, El-Fasher was the epicenter of the Darfur genocide, and the international community fears that its recapture could lead to renewed ethnic cleansing. The RSF’s tactics in their bid to take the city leave little doubt in this regard. Bombardments of healthcare facilities have become constant, and the suffering of the civilian population has prompted the UN Security Council to pass a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire amid the offensive. Despite the dire news from El-Fasher, the regular armed forces do not appear to be focusing their efforts on retaking Darfur at the moment. Instead, the SAF continues to mobilize the bulk of its men and equipment towards the city of Omdurman, the main route to recapturing the capital, Khartoum. Al-Burhan’s plans hinge on this move to ensure the total recognition of the Sovereign Council as the only legitimate government of the country. In this context, the regular forces aim to capitalize on the Russian arms supplies expected to arrive at Port Sudan in the coming weeks, following an agreement with Moscow for the use of a port on the Red Sea. Meanwhile, the UN has officially recognized Sudan as an area affected by a major food crisis. June also saw significant protests in Kenya. After weeks of demonstrations against the government of William Ruto, the toll includes more than 200 arrests, 24 deaths, and dozens of injuries. The protests, led by Kenyan Gen Z, called for the cancellation of the financial bill proposed by Ruto’s government, which included substantial tax increases, including those on fuel and digital transactions. The demonstrations culminated in an assault on the Kenyan parliament on June 25, when protesters broke through police security and occupied parts of the building for several hours before being evicted. The protests were met with widespread violence by law enforcement, who in some cases opened fire on the crowd, drawing harsh condemnation from the international community. In this context, the Kenyan judiciary has taken a stand against the use of force by the police, opening several investigations into the security forces. In response to the protests, Ruto initially sought to calm the situation by acknowledging the reasons behind the demonstrations and expressing his willingness to work with his opponents. However, he later described the protesters as wealthy, bored youths or even criminals. The president then deployed the army to defend key state buildings, while the international community, led by the USA, pressured the government to stop the violent repression of the protests and listen to the people’s grievances. Ruto eventually withdrew the financial bill, leaving the public finance dilemma unresolved. Given the current state of Kenya’s finances, the government will need to find additional liquidity for the treasury, a crucial prerequisite for unlocking International Monetary Fund aid. Meanwhile, the mobilization continues, with protesters, emboldened by the withdrawal of the budget bill, now calling for the president’s resignation.
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The war currently underway in Ukraine could have serious repercussions on the food security of some countries in the Near East and North Africa. An analysis by Anna Maria Cossiga
| Head of state | President Salva Kiir Mayardit |
| Head of Government | President Salva Kiir Mayardit |
| Institutional Form | Presidential Republic |
| Capital | Juba |
| Legislative Power | Bicameral Parliament composed of the Council of States and the Transitional National Legislative Assembly |
| Judicial Power | Supreme Court (11 judges) |
| Ambassador to Italy | Dhanojak Obongo |
| Total Area kmq | 644,329 km2 |
| Land | 644,329 km2 |
| Weather | hot with seasonal rainfall, especially in the south |
| Natural resources | diamonds, hydroelectricity, wood, iron ore, gold, petroleum, limestone, copper, fertile agricultural land, zinc, tungsten. |
| Economic summary | South Sudan's economy is severely underdeveloped and poverty is rife after several decades of civil war with Sudan. The vast majority of the population depends on subsistence agriculture and humanitarian assistance. |
| GDP | $5,2 billion (2021) |
| Pro-capite GDP (Purchasing power parity) | $1600 (2017) |
| Exports | $ 3,5 billion (2021) |
| Export partner | China 88%, United Arabs Emirates 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $ 3,9 billion (2021) |
| Import partner | United Arabs Emirates 37%, Kenya 18%, China 18% (2019) |
| Trade With Italy | $ 91,62 million (2021) |
| Population | 11.544.905 (2022) |
| Population Growth | + 4,91% (2022) |
| Ethnicities | Dinka (Jieng) 35-40%, Nuer (Naath) 15%, Shilluk (Chollo), Azande, Bari, Kakwa, Kuku, Murle, Mandari, Didinga, Ndogo, Bviri, Lndi, Anuak, Bongo, Lango, Dungotona , Acholi, Baka, Fertit (2011) |
| Languages | English (official), Arab (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), ethnic languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk |
| Religions | Christians 60.5%, popular religion 32.9%, Muslims 6.2%, others |
| Urbanization | 20.8% (2022) |
| Literacy | 34.5% |
South Sudan is a landlocked country located in East-Central Africa, which proclaimed its independence from Sudan after a referendum in 2011. The state borders to the west with the Central African Republic, to the southwest with Congo, to the south with Uganda, to the southeast with Kenya, to the east with Ethiopia and to the north with Sudan. It has a population of 11,5 million and the official language is English, but the most spoken one in the capital is “Juba Arabic”.
South Sudan is a member of the United Nations and the African Union, and the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development. Relations between South Sudan and Sudan have significantly improved following the regime change in Khartoum in 2019. However, there still remain unresolved issues with neighbouring Sudan, especially with regard to the distribution of oil profits. This problem originates from the uneven distribution of oil fields, 80 percent of which now lie in South Sudan, while almost all the oil refining plants and transport infrastructures are located in Sudan. A further issue concerns the disputed Abyei District, an oil-rich border area, which currently enjoys "special administrative status" under the Abyei Conflict Resolution Convention, which is contained in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the two countries.
Although there is a small volume of trade between Italy and South Sudan, the country is one of the main recipients of Italian development cooperation assistance in the region. The Italian Development Cooperation agency has a presence in the country, where it has always been appreciated for its moderate political approach and the promotion of dialogue.
