Witnessing the creation of the world's newest country

Students in a construction class at the Plan-supported Juba Technical School in South Sudan.

When South Sudan is officially declared the world's newest nation on Saturday, the moment will have special significance for Plan International Australia CEO Ian Wishart, who will be in the capital of Juba for the ceremony.

As he attends the independence celebrations in the capital city of Juba, Mr Wishart will reflect on his role 20 years ago helping the people of southern Sudan who were affected by the African nation's civil war that, by its end, had killed 2 million people and displaced 4 million.

Back in 1991, Mr Wishart was an emergency relief worker involved in the response to what was a severe humanitarian crisis. Now, as chief executive of Plan International Australia, he is leading an organisation that will play a key role in helping the world's newest nation get on its feet.

Mr Wishart says the situation in 1991 was grim, with the impact of the brutal civil war compounded by years of drought. "There was a huge amount of humanitarian need – there were tens of thousands of people who had been displaced by the fighting, and they needed emergency food, water and shelter. It was a pretty chaotic situation.

"The frontline was moving all the time. It was unpredictable, and every time the frontline moved, our relief operations had to move as well. In every camp, we had to dig trenches so our staff could shelter from the bombs if the fighting got too close.

"People were living in the most dire circumstances. If you became ill or were injured in the war, there was not much that could be done for you – there were no pharmacies or hospitals. We were trying to get a supply of medication up to southern Sudan, and to start a small medical centre. We were shipping in second-hand medical theatre equipment just to get some kind of surgery happening."

Years of 'holding the line'

Mr Wishart says he never expected that South Sudan could become independent. "I could understand their right to self-determination, but I couldn't see them winning the war or the North allowing them to separate. I just couldn’t see an end to it," he says.

"Sometimes, all you do in humanitarian work is hold the line – you enable people to survive, and that’s it. You're not talking about long-term development, you're just keeping people from starving, dying, and that can go on for, in this case, 20-odd years."

But those years of "holding the line" now mean that the people of South Sudan will have the opportunity to do more than just survive – they can work together to build a new future. It’s a unique situation that shouldn’t be taken lightly, says Mr Wishart.

"This might be one of the last acts of self-determination that the world will ever see," he says.

Challenges ahead

"I hope for them that it's a joyful experience to be able to plan positively for the future,” says Mr Wishart. "I'm realistic enough to know that it's probably going to be a little like East Timor. It's one thing to become independent, but to form a sense of national identity will take time and trust and there will be a lot of obstacles along the road.

"It's very difficult to form a government that can serve the people when you're coming off such a low base. For instance, you've got 20-30 years of kids who have not had education and training, and don't yet have the skills to contribute to the development of the country's future. A lot rests on the shoulders of ageing leaders who gained their education in a different period."

These are issues that Plan is working to help resolve. In the short term, Plan has been working to ensure that children and families returning from the north have their immediate needs met. Food and shelter kits have been distributed to more than 100,000 people, along with seeds such as maize to communities who are hosting the returnees. Some 90,000 children have been benefiting from a school feeding programme and temporary learning centres have been established so that children do not lose out on vital schooling.

Plan is also working to help train the next generation of young people who will build the new nation; 150 students have enrolled at the Plan-supported $4.2 million Juba Technical High School, which provides marginalised communities - especially young people and former child soldiers - with skills training in subjects from electronics to hospitality.

Find out more about the Juba Technical High School, and watch an inspiring video.

Notes to editors

Ian Wishart is available for interview in Juba via satellite phone. For interviews, contact:

For more information and interviews:

David Cook
Media Officer
Plan International Australia
Mobile: 0448 816 900
Email: David.cook@plan.org.au