CountriesAfricaSouth Sudan

South Sudan

Republic of South Sudan

Africa

UN Member since 2011

Member of AU.

Population

11.1M

GDP

$4.8B

Capital

Juba

Government

Federal presidential republic

Power & politics

Leadership, governance, and democratic trajectory.

Democracy index

1.2 / 10

UN voting record

How South Sudan votes at the UN General Assembly — ideological trajectory, voting partners, topic patterns, and key recent roll calls.

Ideological trajectory

Voting summary

No votes recorded for this period yet.

Bloc alignment

Bloc alignment data not available yet.

Top voting partners

Topic-level voting

Source: Erik Voeten, “United Nations General Assembly Voting Data”, Harvard Dataverse (CC0). Aggregated by Model Diplomat. Last refresh tracked in profile freshness.

Foreign policy

Bilateral posture, key relationships, and live diplomatic statements.

Foreign Policy

South Sudan's foreign policy is dominated by its relationship with Sudan, oil politics, and dependence on regional mediators. The country relies on oil pipelines through Sudan for export, creating an uneasy interdependence with Khartoum. Uganda has been South Sudan's closest military ally, deploying troops to support the Kiir government during the civil war. Kenya and Ethiopia have served as mediators through IGAD.

South Sudan has cultivated relationships with China (a major oil investor) and the United States (which was instrumental in supporting South Sudanese independence). Relations with the EU and Western donors have been strained by the civil war, human rights abuses, and the slow pace of political reform. The country remains heavily dependent on international humanitarian assistance.

Allies

Rivals

MUN Delegate Guide

South Sudan is a challenging but rewarding delegation for Model UN. As the world's newest country, you can speak authentically about self-determination, post-independence challenges, and the gap between sovereignty and functional statehood. Emphasize South Sudan's aspirations for peace and development while acknowledging the difficulties of state-building.

Focus on peacebuilding, transitional justice, humanitarian access, and the politics of oil-dependent economies. South Sudan can contribute to discussions on peacekeeping reform (as a host to UNMISS), climate-conflict nexus (flooding and drought driving violence), and the responsibility of the international community to support new states.

Align with the African Group, IGAD, and the G-77. Key allies include Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Relations with Sudan are complicated but essential -- cooperate on oil transit while maintaining sovereignty claims, particularly over the contested Abyei area. On major votes, South Sudan generally follows the African consensus. Be prepared to address criticism about human rights and governance by highlighting the transitional process and the need for continued international support rather than sanctions.