South Sudan officially declares its independence from North Sudan on Friday, July 8. The White House recently released the names of those who would represent the U.S. at the independence ceremony, including Colin Powell, Rep.Donald Payne (D-NJ) and General Carter Ham of the U.S. Africa Command.
The head of the U.S. delegation, U.N. ambassador Susan Rice, and another member of the delegation, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, spoke to the press before their departure from Washington, DC.