With its capital in Juba,
South Sudan became independent last year following decades of civil
war. Its arrival in the international community was celebrated at the
time, but conflict with the Sudanese regime soon resumed.
Border clashes have
brought the countries to the brink of war and left South Sudan coping
with a massive humanitarian crisis as people flee the fighting.
The South Sudan state of
Upper Nile has been flooded with refugees crossing the border from
Sudan. In total, aid agencies estimate that at least 150,000 refugees
from Sudan are currently in South Sudan.
The humanitarian problems have coincided with economic woes.
The South Sudanese
government lost 98 percent of its revenue when it halted oil production
amid a dispute over transportation and processing fees with Sudan.
South Sudan obtained
around 70% of the formerly united country's oil reserves when it became
independent last year. But the countries have been unable to agree on
how much the landlocked South should pay to use infrastructure that
remains in Sudan.
South Sudan shut down
production in late January after accusing Sudan of stealing $815 million
worth of its oil. Sudan said it confiscated the crude to make up for
unpaid fees.
The shutdown has sent the
economies of both countries reeling, but South Sudan has been hit
particularly hard by the loss of income from virtually its only export.
The young nation has also wrestled with corruption in its first year.
In May, South Sudan's
president wrote to more than 75 government officials and eight foreign
governments in an attempt to recover $4 billion lost through corruption.
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