U.S. President Barack Obama has nominated a State Department official as U.S. ambassador to the world's newest country, South Sudan.

Mr. Obama chose Susan Page, who is deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of African Affairs.

Page has extensive experience in the U.S. foreign services, having worked in Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda and Botswana.

Her appointment has to approved by Congress, which is in recess until next month.

South Sudan became a country last month after residents voted in January to secede from Sudan.