On 9 July South Sudan became the world's newest nation. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was among the international dignitaries who attended the celebrations in the capital, Juba.
Mr Ban commented: ""We gather in celebration, but we are mindful of the enormous challenges ahead – deep poverty, lack of basic infrastructure and institutions of government, political insecurity.""
Click here to read Ban Ki-moon's article on South Sudan's independence
Also present at the celebrations, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who gave a sobering reminder of the challenges ahead, singling out the border region of Abyei as a source of potential conflict.
South Sudan's independence is the culmination of a UN-facilitated peace process that, it is hoped, will end decades of brutal conflict with the north during which some 1.5 million people died. In 2009, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur.
The UN has vowed to provide ongoing support to Africa's newest nation, voting on the eve of its independence to form a new mission to help consolidate peace and lay the foundation for longer-term state-building, conflict prevention and economic development.
Click here for more about the UN's mission in South Sudan.
