Monday, April 7

South Sudan seems to be inching closer and closer to a civil war, meaning the world's youngest nation could soon face intense strife in the coming months.

South Sudan, which became independent from Sudan in 2011, is the world's youngest nation. However, the country is the epicenter of some of the worst humanitarian crises in Africa, and despite being the third-largest oil reserve holder in Africa, their economy yields a GDP per capita of just $334. Unfortunately, political instability at the higher ranks has contributed to these issues, and a civil war is now imminent.

Just two years after it achieved independence, South Sudan experienced a long civil war where several factions grappled for power over the country. 400,000 people were killed, and almost 4 million people were displaced. The conflict began to come to an end in 2018, when a deal was reached between two opposing sides. President Salva Kiir, of the Dinka ethnic group, and Vice-President Riek Machar, from the Nuer ethnic group, had been fighting for control, but the 2018 deal ensured peace by establishing power-sharing between the two of them.

Nevertheless, conflict between the two of them remained. Elections were supposed to take place in 2024, but they have been moved to 2026, and President Kiir has made several changes in the South Sudanese government that avoid giving additional power to Machar.

Meanwhile, Machar claims that President Kiir had used the country's forces to attack him and his forces. Despite that, Machar claims that he has no affiliation with the White Army, a group of the Nuer people that battled with Kiir's army earlier last month.

Now, the threat of conflict looms once again, as Machar has been arrested by police on the basis of trying to stir up a rebellion. Machar's political party has stated that his arrest puts an end to the peace deal they achieved in 2018, and it could quickly begin to cause numerous problems for South Sudan-- conflict between ethnic groups, conflict between governmental powers, or both; these are all likely scenarios at this point.

Machar maintains his support with the Nuer people, along with his own forces stationed across South Sudan. On the other side, President Kiir has the backing of the Dinka people, along with South Sudan's entire armed forces. In addition, Uganda has sent troops to Juba to support Kiir, though they deny this allegation.

The African Union and Kenyan President William Ruto are both attempting to put an end to this conflict before more war ensues, but if another civil war breaks out, it could have deadly consequences.

Upcoming Events:

• International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda (Monday, April 7)

• World Health Day (Monday, April 7)

• Masters (Monday, April 7 to Sunday, April 13)

• International Day of Human Space Flight (Saturday, April 12)

• Passover (Saturday, April 12 to Sunday, April 20)

Fact of the Day (Today): The average person blinks 14-17 minutes per minute.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That’s the only way to keep the roads clear. (Greg Kincaid)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Impresario (noun, im-pruh-SAHR-ee-oh) - An impresario is a person who manages, puts on, or sponsors a performance or other entertainment, such as a concert, play, or sporting event.

In a Sentence: The former heavyweight retired from the ring and later became a boxing impresario.