South Sudan is celebrating Saturday its new official independence from Sudan, becoming the world’s newest nation after years of struggle to attain this goal.

South Sudan is celebrating Saturday its official independence from Sudan, becoming the world’s newest nation after years of struggle to attain this goal.

Thousands of Southern Sudanese thronged the streets to celebrate their separation from the North. African presidents and leaders, international representatives, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, as well as North Sudan officials and President Omar Al-Bashir took part in the celebrations.

The oil rich South of Sudan -it includes 3 quarters of Sudan’s oil-  was recognized as the world’s newest country, after five decades of war and the death of around 2 million people.

Amid chants and cheers during the celebrations, the new national anthem was played, the current Sudan flag was replaced with a new flag specific for South Sudan, and speeches for Parliament Speaker James Wani, who read the official announcement of independence, as well as speeches for international officials were made.

Khartoum officially recognized the “independency of South Sudan” Friday eve, after stripping the nationality of Southern Sudan residents. This came after 98% of the Southern people voted for separation during January’s referendum, after an agreement on comprehensive peace was made in 2005 for putting an end to long years of wars.

However, many Sudanese with southern origins have assured they will stay in North Sudan and expressed their fear of the changing situation.

South Sudan, strongly supported by the west, was immediately recognized by the U.N. and Western countries.

Ki-moon expressed to journalists in juba his certainty that South Sudan will soon join the international community, while U.S. President Barack Obama announced Saturday his country’s recognition to the new nation.

"I am proud to declare that the United States formally recognizes the Republic of South Sudan as a sovereign and independent state upon this day, July 9, 2011," Obama’s statement included.

for their part, Israeli sources assured that Israel will formally recognize South Sudan as a sovereign state within the coming few weeks.

Zionist newspaper Haaretz quoted an official source saying that the Israeli Foreign Ministry is strongly interested in South Sudan, and that it has been secretly exchanging letters with the government in South Sudan for a while now.