ITU assigns South Sudan ‘211’ as its international dialling code

The United Nations International Telecommunications Union (ITU) says it has assigned the international dialling code 211 to the Republic of South Sudan, the world’s newest nation following the country’s formal recognition as a UN Member State.

South Sudan became an independent state on July 9, 2011.

The ITU said the code, which was specifically requested following a special Council of Ministers Resolution,  is unique to the country and the Ministry of Telecommunications and Postal Services of South Sudan has welcome the move.

“The fledgling South Sudan Ministry of Telecommunications and Postal Services welcomed the new code, which has particular resonance for South Sudan’s citizens as representing the year in which South Sudan gained independence (2011), the date of its referendum (which took place in the first day of the first month of 2011), and a symbol of good fortune,” the Union said in a statement published on its website July 14, 2011.

In addition to the country code, the ITU says the government of the Republic of South Sudan will be assigned a mobile country code (MCC) and a signalling area/network code (SANC).

SANC facilitates all telephone calls by indicating how calls should be routed.

By Ekow Quandzie