South Sudan’s ambition to join the Commonwealth soon after its scheduled independence in July was declared by Vice President Riek Machar in May, during the international meeting of the Royal Commonwealth Society in Malaysia.
“I hope that one day soon we will be welcomed into this family of nations,” he told the meeting, where he urged member governments to recognise the new independent state of South Sudan. He said commitments of recognition had been received from the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and that many countries were already establishing embassies in Juba.
“Our government is young; its institutions are weak and our economy is underdeveloped,” Machar said. “As a new member of the Commonwealth, we would seek support in terms of technical assistance, training and scholarships.”
