SUDAN SOUTH SUDAN REFERENDUMSouthern Sudan students return to their school in Yambio , Western Equatorial , Southern Sudan , 17 January 2011 . Voting in the South Sudan self - determination referendum ended on 15 January . According to media reports , most voters had come out in the first four days , ensuring that by 12 January the 60 - per - cent turnout needed to make the poll valid had been reached . Mohamed Ibrahim Khalil , chairman of the referendum commission , told reporters in the southern capital Juba that some 3 . 14 million voters in the south , 83 per cent of those registered , had voted by the end of 14 January . Some 91 per cent of the diasporas had voted , as had 53 per cent of southerners living in the north . Khalil added that preliminary results should be announced on 31 January . If there are no objections , final results will be announced on 06 February . If there are objections , final results will be announced 14 February . EPA / KHALED EL FIQI < 뉴스 의 새 시대 , 연합뉴스 Live > < 모바일 애플리케이션 > < 포토 매거진 >< 저작권자 ( c ) 연합뉴스 . 무단 전재 - 재배 포금 지 . >