Dear partners, friends and supporters

This month I had the opportunity to travel to Juba, Southern Sudan. As the plane descended towards the airport, the first scene was the vast fleet of United Nations (UN) vehicles and planes, a reminder of the conflict the country has just come from and the uncertainty of the situation at the moment. The airport is one of the most basic I have ever seen but surprisingly very efficient. We were out of the airport within 10 minutes.

As we drove to the hotel, it became immediately clear to me that Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan are very different and to think that they are one country is almost inconceivable. No two places can be so different in terms of levels of economic development, climate, culture and religion. This has been long recognised and a Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed some years ago which will ultimately lead to a referendum in January 2011 for the people of Southern Sudan to decide whether to remain part of the North or to become a different or new country. As one walks on the streets of Juba, the excitement and expectation to become a new country are palpable and almost tangible.

We took some time to visit Konyokonyo market, one of the biggest markets in Juba. Most of the traders there are Ugandan and Congolese...

Read More