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With the formation of Africa’s newest State, the Republic of Southern Sudan, we are challenged to believe that our knowledge of Africa needs to be fluid, ever changing and dynamic in nature. The formation of Africa’s newest State, the Republic of Southern Sudan has come after decades of civil war, bloodshed and oppression under many tyrannical rulers, ranging from the ancient times to the present. The country has been witness to decades of war and instability under many dictatorships. With the birth of this new nation come many hopes and aspirations for the development of the country. Many challenges lie ahead to the ‘nation building project ’ of the Republic of Southern Sudan, including continuing conflict with the Khartoum administration over oil rich areas such as Abyei and other areas also experiencing mass conflicts such as Darfur. It is these barriers to development and peace that the paper seeks to highlight and explore possible approaches for addressing the challenges