South Sudan is celebrating its first anniversary, after a year full of challenges including border clashes and a dispute over oil revenues with neighboring Sudan.
President Salva Kiir is expected to give a speech during a ceremony Monday in the capital, Juba, where dignitaries from around the world have gathered for the event.
South Sudan broke away from Sudan following a referendum that was part of a 2005 peace deal. The agreement ended a 21-year north-south civil war.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement that ethnic tensions and unresolved issues with Sudan represent “significant challenges” for South Sudan. But she praised the country for building its government and working to bring security and respect for human rights.