Security Council

6580^th Meeting (PM)

Security Council Refers South Sudan’s Application for United Nations

 

Membership to Its Committee on Admissions

 

The President of the Security Council today referred the membership application of the Republic of South Sudan to its Committee on the Admission of New Members — the first step for the newly independent African country to join the United Nations.

Should South Sudan’s application be approved by the 15-member Council and the 192-nation General Assembly, it will become the world body’s 193^rd member.  The Council’s membership Committee was slated to review the bid directly following the adjournment of the meeting.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit sent his country’s request for membership in a 9 July letter (document A/65/900-S/2011/418) to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who referred it to the President of the Security Council and the President of the General Assembly.  The Council is expected to announce its decision in a formal meeting on 13 July.

South Sudan formally separated from Sudan on 9 July, following the January 2011 referendum held under the terms of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the decades-long civil war between the North and the South.  Comprising the southern-most Sudanese states, South Sudan is home to more than 8 million people. 

The meeting began at 3:13 p.m. and ended at 3:15 p.m.

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For information media • not an official record