The fate of Sudan will be decided in a referendum expected in January to let the strife-torn south determine whether to stay in the country or become independent.
Amid international concern that the vote, only by the south, may be pushed back, Mutrif Siddiq, the visiting Sudanese state minister of humanitarian affairs, firmly stated that it will be held in January.
During an interview with The Japan Times on Tuesday, Siddiq recognized that the process for the referendum, including legal preparations and the setting up of a commission to oversee the vote, has been delayed. He added that the referendum may not take place Jan. 9, as slated, but stressed that "definitely, the referendum will take place in January."