00:00Balochistan leader Mihir R Baloch declared Balochistan independent from Pakistan, but
00:05here's what it actually takes for a region to break away and be recognized as a new country.
00:09Step one is a declaration of independence, where local leadership formally announces
00:13the region's intent to break away. According to the Montevideo convention, the region must
00:17also establish de facto control over its territory, setting up its own administration, securing
00:22borders and maintaining public order. Internal legitimacy is crucial after declaring independence.
00:27The breakaway region must prove that its people support the move. For example, in 1993, the
00:32people of Eritrea voted overwhelmingly in a UN-supervised referendum to separate from Ethiopia, paving
00:37the way for international acceptance. To function as a country, a region must be recognized by
00:42major powers and international bodies. However, even if recognized by individual states, membership
00:47in the UN requires Security Council approval. Taiwan, though functioning independently, is not a UN member
00:53due to China's veto. In 2011, when South Sudan gained independence from Sudan, it was quickly recognized
00:58by over 100 countries and joined the UN the same year.
