While official results from the referendum in Sudan will not be revealed until sometime in February, it has become somewhat of a foregone conclusion that Africa’s largest country is on the verge of splitting. This is sure to impact not only regional stability, but politics across the wider African continent.

Anticipating the impending split, Salva Kiir has already begun to plead with the population of southern Sudan to not embark on any score-settling after they achieve their long-anticipated independence. His calls for forgiveness and restraint towards the north are nothing if not timely given the incendiary issues that remain unresolved in north-south relations.