Description
July 9, 2011, marked a day of celebration and turning point for the newly independent state of South Sudan. South Sudan entered the international stage as the world's newest country. Needless to say, South Sudan is in need of international aid to help itself solve serious infrastructure problems and avoid the pitfalls of the past. Historically, in many similar places of extreme stress, such as Haiti, it has been difficult to determine exactly how international aid has been used and who has actually benefitted from the assistance. In many ways, what is generally meant as international compassion and a desire to help actually translates into a situation where a few well-connected people gain from the international aid, but the poor remain poor. Ultimately, only a small number of national and international people and groups benefit. Finding effective ways for the United States to assist this new nation is extremely challenging but necessary to see real change. Typical aid delivered through USAID has historically been done in countless ways via companies paid to manage the assistance, such as Booz Allen Hamilton, through a host of non-governmental organizations, or through various governmental groups, such as the US military and the AFRICOM effort. Another means is via the United Nations and its agencies such as UNICEF, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, UN OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), and many others. These types of solutions are attempting to assist by bringing in outside assistance to help, but this seems to work much better for short-term disaster relief rather than the longterm nation-building efforts. Using Haiti as an example is actually very discouraging. Outside aid has built a Haitian society almost solely dependent on the aid. Outside aid worth billions of dollars was meant to solve problems, such as extreme poverty and poor health. Yet, these problems still persist. Trying to help new countries like South Sudan forge another path and not become another Haiti is difficult. Another solution, besides never-ending direct aid, is via universities. Creating dedicated partnerships between specific US schools and schools within South Sudan is one way of offering assistance to this nation. The partnerships would teach the target nation how to help itself. This solution also has challenges, including how such university aid and partnerships can be built and effectively managed. Infrastructure problems such as transportation, water, energy, health, education, and security can be solved through contributions that universities can make on behalf of the United States and the Department of State. Also, linking the Diaspora from South Sudan to their home country could form a web of collaboration and compassion that could immediately and dramatically assist the United States in assisting South Sudan in its nation-building efforts. This thesis explores much of the basic background and needs of South Sudan and suggests how special university partnerships combined with Cloud computing and the Diaspora could make an unprecedented contribution toward the success of South Sudan. The intent of the examination of South Sudan is also to form a template, or pattern, for how USAID and other US agencies, including the Department of Defense, might be able to better achieve US goals globally while considering the severe budget constraints faced by the United States and the world.
