The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Susan Page, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, writes about the importance of helping South Sudan foster its nascent democracy in her op-ed, “Democracy is a Fragile Thing.” She reflects on the struggles the South Sudanese endured on their path to democracy and marvels at their unbroken spirit despite the slow “pace of change” and “imperfect democratic processes.”

“The U.S. government’s assistance to South Sudan is not a gift-it is an investment,” Ambassador Page notes when summarizing the $1 billion in assistance that the U.S. has provided for infrastructure and development. The South Sudanese people must remain committed to the values of representative government and fundamental freedoms and, in turn, the “United States will continue to stand by you.”

The democratic process is “often messy,” notes Ambassador Page, but “it does work and it works best over the long term.” Reflecting on the fragility of new democracies as “hard earned, but easily lost,” she urges the Sudanese people to keep [their] “eyes set on the goal of a strong, unified nation [that] will ultimately prosper, even if the fruits of that toil are ultimately enjoyed by future generations.”